Sample records for plasma membrane enlargement

The adipocyte enlargement is associated with an increase in the cytoplasmic lipid content, but how the plasmamembrane area follows this increase is poorly understood. We monitored single-cell membrane surface area fluctuations, which mirror the dynamics of exocytosis and endocytosis. We employed the patch-clamp technique to measure membrane capacitance (C(m)), a parameter linearly related to the plasmamembrane area. Specifically, we studied whether insulin affects membrane area dynamics in adipocytes. A five-minute cell exposure to insulin increased resting C(m) by 12 ± 4%; in controls the change in C(m) was not different from zero. We measured cell diameter of isolated rat adipocytes microscopically. Twenty-four hour exposure of cells to insulin resulted in a significant increase in cell diameter by 5.1 ± 0.6%. We conclude that insulin induces membrane area increase, which may in chronic hyperinsulinemia promote the enlargement of plasmamembrane area, acting in concert with other insulin-mediated metabolic effects on adipocytes. PMID:22540353

Microbial desalination cells are considered a low-energy-consumption, clean technology to simultaneously purify wastewater and desalinate saline water by utilizing the in situ energy source contained in wastewater. To enhance desalination performance and achieve an optimal membrane stack configuration, an enlarged stacked microbial desalination cell (SMDC) has been developed and tested with 6-14 desalination cells. The cross-membrane area of the enlarged SMDC is 100 cm2. The anode and cathode volumes are both 200 mL. To reduce internal resistance, the width of desalination cells is kept as <0.5 mm. The optimal configuration with 10 desalination cells achieves the highest total desalination rate (TDR) of 423 mg/h and the highest charge transfer efficiency (CTE) of 836% when treating the 20 g/L NaCl solution. During this process, the junction potential across membranes increases from 0 to 374 mV, and occupies up to 74% of the total potential loss inside the SMDC. This shows that the SMDC used in this work achieves the highest TDR and CTE among the reported studies, and the junction potential should be effectively controlled to achieve the desired desalination performance in future practical applications.

Layered plasma polymer composite fluid separation membranes are disclosed, which comprise alternating selective and permeable layers for a total of at least 2n layers, where n is [>=]2 and is the number of selective layers. 2 figs.

The response to extracellular stimuli often alters the phosphorylation state of plasmamembrane-associated proteins. In this regard, generation of a comprehensive membrane phosphoproteome can significantly enhance signal transduction and drug mechanism studies. However, analysis of this subproteome is regarded as technically challenging, given the low abundance and insolubility of integral membrane proteins, combined with difficulties in isolating, ionizing and fragmenting phosphopeptides. In this article, we highlight recent advances in membrane and phosphoprotein enrichment techniques resulting in improved identification of these elusive peptides. We also describe the use of alternative fragmentation techniques, and assess their current and future value to the field of membrane phosphoproteomics. PMID:21819303

Studies of the cell invasion mechanism of the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi led to a series of novel findings, which revealed a previously unsuspected ability of conventional lysosomes to fuse with the plasmamembrane. This regulated exocytic process, previously regarded mostly as a specialization of certain cell types, was recently shown to play an important role in the mechanism by which cells reseal their plasmamembrane after injury. PMID:12147679

Three aspect of cellular calcium metabolism in animal cells was discussed including the importance of the plasmamembrane in calcium homeostasis, experiments dealing with the actual mechanism of the calcium pump, and the function of the pump in relationship to the mitochondria and to the function of calmodulin in the intact cell.

Breathing oscillations in the discharge of an enlarged cylindrical-anode-layer Hall plasma accelerator are investigated by three-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation. Different from the traditional breathing mode in a circular Hall plasma accelerator, the bulk plasma oscillation here is trigged by the potential barrier generated by the concentrated ion beam and substantial enough to compete with the anode voltage. The electric field near the anode is suppressed by the potential barrier thereby decreasing the electron density by {approx}36%. The discharge is restored to the normal level after the concentrated beam explodes and then it completes one cycle of electro-driven breathing oscillation. The breathing mode identified by the PIC simulation has a frequency range of {approx}156 kHz-{approx}250 kHz and does not vary monotonically with the discharge voltage.

An enlarged cylindrical-anode-layer Hall plasma accelerator with an outlet diameter of 150 mm is experimentally demonstrated to produce a concentrated ion beam, especially at a high discharge voltage, with a high current utilization efficiency of up to {approx}0.9. Numerical investigation based on the three-dimensional particle-in-cell method is performed to study the ion dynamics and elucidate the origin of the ion beam characteristics. The simulation results reveal that the equipotential lines play an important role in the surface near the anode emitting the ions. The ion emitting surface is determined by the magnetic field lines near the anode and the magnetic mirror contributes to the concentrated beam significantly. The high current utilization efficiency results from the appropriate obliquity of the magnetic mirror.

Recently developed molecular and genetic approaches have enabled the identification and functional characterization of novel genes encoding ion channels, ion carriers, and water channels of the plant plasmamembrane.

The plasmamembrane (PM) and endocytic protein quality control (QC) in conjunction with the endosomal sorting machinery either repairs or targets conformationally damaged membrane proteins for lysosomal/vacuolar degradation. Here, we provide an overview of emerging aspects of the underlying mechanisms of PM QC that fulfill a critical role in preserving cellular protein homeostasis in health and diseases. PMID:24985330

Many metazoan cells inhabit mechanically stressful environments and, consequently, their plasmamembranes are frequently disrupted. Survival requires that the cell rapidly repair or reseal the disruption. Rapid resealing is an active and complex structural modification that employs endomembrane as its primary building block, and cytoskeletal and membrane fusion proteins as its catalysts. Endomembrane is delivered to the damaged plasmamembrane through exocytosis, a ubiquitous Ca2+-triggered response to disruption. Tissue and cell level architecture prevent disruptions from occurring, either by shielding cells from damaging levels of force, or, when this is not possible, by promoting safe force transmission through the plasmamembrane via protein-based cables and linkages. Prevention of disruption also can be a dynamic cell or tissue level adaptation triggered when a damaging level of mechanical stress is imposed. Disease results from failure of either the preventive or resealing mechanisms.

BPH; Benign prostatic hyperplasia (hypertrophy); Prostate - enlarged ... The actual cause of prostate enlargement is unknown. Factors linked to aging and changes in the cells of the testicles may have a role in the growth ...

Ion exchange membranes have received considerable attention in recent years. Applications of ion exchange membranes have included such electrochemical systems as water and organic electrolyzers, redox-flow batteries, and sensors. This work is a study of radiofrequency plasma polymerization of perfluorinated acid-containing monomers and a perfluorinated {open_quotes}backbone{close_quotes} comonomer as a method for synthesizing novel polyionomer film coatings for use as membranes on electrodes and biomedical sensors. The results indicate that, by altering the deposition conditions, some control can be exercised over the retention of acid functional groups by plasma polymers. Using AC impedance measurements, the ionic conductivity of these films was found to be two to four orders of magnitude higher than their aqueous environments. In addition, several of the acid-containing plasma polymerized films were hydrophilic, having an advancing water contact angle of less than fifteen degrees. The initial results of this study have demonstrated the feasibility of using acid-containing plasma polymers as crosslinked membrane materials suitable for use with electrochemical sensors and biosensors.

Lipids are essential for the structural and functional integrity of membranes. Membrane lipids are not randomly distributed but are localized in different domains. A common characteristic of these membrane domains is their association with cholesterol. Lipid rafts and caveolae are examples of cholesterol enriched domains, which have attracted keen interest. However, two other important cholesterol domains are the exofacial and cytofacial leaflets of the plasmamembrane. The two leaflets that make up the bilayer differ in their fluidity, electrical charge, lipid distribution, and active sites of certain proteins. The synaptic plasmamembrane (SPM) cytofacial leaflet contains over 85% of the total SPM cholesterol as compared with the exofacial leaflet. This asymmetric distribution of cholesterol is not fixed or immobile but can be modified by different conditions in vivo: 1) chronic ethanol consumption; 2) statins; 3) aging; and 4) apoE isoform. Several potential candidates have been proposed as mechanisms involved in regulation of SPM cholesterol asymmetry: apoE, low-density-lipoprotein receptor, sterol carrier protein-2, fatty acid binding proteins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, p-glycoprotein and caveolin-1. This review examines cholesterol asymmetry in SPM, potential mechanisms of regulation and impact on membrane structure and function. PMID:21214553

We present a study on the rupture behavior of single NIH 3T3 mouse fibroblasts under tension using micropipette aspiration. Membrane rupture was characterized by breaking and formation of an enclosed membrane linked to a tether at the cell apex. Three different rupture modes, namely: single break, initial multiple breaks, and continuous multiple breaks, were observed under similar loading condition. The measured mean tensile strengths of plasmamembrane were 3.83 ± 1.94 and 3.98 ± 1.54mN/m for control cells and cells labeled with TubulinTracker, respectively. The tensile strength data was described by Weibull distribution. For the control cells, the Weibull modulus and characteristic strength were 1.86 and 4.40 mN/m, respectively; for cells labeled with TubulinTracker, the Weibull modulus and characteristic strength were 2.68 and 4.48 mN/m, respectively. Based on the experimental data, the estimated average transmembrane proteins-lipid cleavage strength was 2.64 ± 0.64 mN/m. From the random sampling of volume ratio of transmembrane proteins in cell membrane, we concluded that the Weibull characteristic of plasmamembrane strength was likely to be originated from the variation in transmembrane proteins-lipid interactions. PMID:21288526

Cellular membrane dysfunction caused by air plasma in cancer cells has been studied to exploit atmospheric-pressure plasma jets for cancer therapy. Here, we report that plasma jet treatment of cervical cancer HeLa cells increased electrical conductivity across the cellular lipid membrane and caused simultaneous lipid oxidation and cellular membrane collapse. We made this finding by employing a self-manufactured microelectrode chip. Furthermore, increased roughness of the cellular lipid membrane and sequential collapse of the membrane were observed by atomic force microscopy following plasma jet treatment. These results suggest that the cellular membrane catastrophe occurs via coincident altered electrical conductivity, lipid oxidation, and membrane roughening caused by an atmospheric-pressure plasma jet, possibly resulting in cellular vulnerability to reactive species generated from the plasma as well as cytotoxicity to cancer cells.

The lipid raft hypothesis proposes lateral domains driven by preferential interactions between sterols, sphingolipids, and specific proteins as a central mechanism for the regulation of membrane structure and function; however, experimental limitations in defining raft composition and properties have prevented unequivocal demonstration of their functional relevance. Here, we establish a quantitative, functional relationship between raft association and subcellular protein sorting. By systematic mutation of the transmembrane and juxtamembrane domains of a model transmembrane protein, linker for activation of T-cells (LAT), we generated a panel of variants possessing a range of raft affinities. These mutations revealed palmitoylation, transmembrane domain length, and transmembrane sequence to be critical determinants of membrane raft association. Moreover, plasmamembrane (PM) localization was strictly dependent on raft partitioning across the entire panel of unrelated mutants, suggesting that raft association is necessary and sufficient for PM sorting of LAT. Abrogation of raft partitioning led to mistargeting to late endosomes/lysosomes because of a failure to recycle from early endosomes. These findings identify structural determinants of raft association and validate lipid-driven domain formation as a mechanism for endosomal protein sorting. PMID:24912166

The liver plays a crucial role in the detoxification of drugs used in the treatment of many diseases. The liver itself is the target for drugs aimed to modify its function or to treat infections and tumours affecting this organ. Both detoxification and pharmacological processes occurring in the liver require the uptake of the drug by hepatic cells and, in some cases, the elimination into bile. These steps have been classified as detoxification phase 0 and phase III, respectively. Since most drugs cannot cross the plasmamembrane by simple diffusion, the involvement of transporters is mandatory. Several members of the superfamilies of solute carriers (SLC) and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) proteins, with a minor participation of other families of transporters, account for the uptake and efflux, respectively, of endobiotic and xenobiotic compounds across the basolateral and apical membranes of hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. These transporters are also involved in the sensitivity and refractoriness to the pharmacological treatment of liver tumours. An additional interesting aspect of the role of plasmamembrane transporters in liver pharmacology regards the promiscuity of many of these carriers, which accounts for a variety of drug-drug, endogenous substances-drug and food components-drug interactions with clinical relevance. PMID:24278693

The gene that encodes the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is defective in patients with cystic fibrosis. Although the protein product of the CFTR gene has been proposed to function as a chloride ion channel, certain aspects of its function remain unclear. The role of CFTR in the adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent regulation of plasmamembrane recycling was examined. Adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate is known to regulate endocytosis and exocytosis in chloride-secreting epithelial cells that express CFTR. However, mutant epithelial cells derived from a patient with cystic fibrosis exhibited no cAMP-dependent regulation of endocytosis and exocytosis until they were transfected with complementary DNA encoding wild-type CFTR. Thus, CFTR is critical for cAMP-dependent regulation of membrane recycling in epithelial tissues, and this function of CFTR could explain in part the pleiotropic nature of cystic fibrosis.

Electron microscopy allows direct visualization of the underlying organization of cell surface components on a nano-scale. Immuno-gold labelling of isolated plasmamembranes generates point patterns that enable mapping of protein and lipid distributions. 2D spatial statistics reveals the extent to which these distributions are clustered or dispersed and allows the extent of co-localization between different cell surface components to be precisely determined. This approach has been successfully applied to the study of signalling network organization and the consequences of physiological changes in modulating cell surface function. PMID:25331134

The final step in the exocytotic process is the docking and fusion of membrane-bound secretory vesicles at the cell plasmamembrane. This docking and fusion is brought about by several participating vesicle membrane, plasmamembrane and soluble cytosolic proteins. A clear understanding of the interactions between these participating proteins giving rise to vesicle docking and fusion is essential. In this study, the binding force profiles between synaptic vesicle membrane and plasmamembrane proteins have been examined for the first time using the atomic force microscope. Binding force contributions of a synaptic vesicle membrane protein VAMP1, and the plasmamembrane proteins SNAP-25 and syntaxin, are also implicated from these studies. Our study suggests that these three proteins are the major, if not the only contributors to the interactive binding force that exist between the two membranes. PMID:10452835

Subcellular localization of photosensitizers (PSs) determines the therapeutic efficacy in the photodynamic therapy. However, among the subcellular compartments, there has been little effort to deliver the PSs selectively into the plasmamembrane and examine the phototherapeutic efficacy of membrane-localized PSs. Here, we developed a liposomal delivery system to localize the hydrophobic PSs selectively into the plasmamembrane. The membrane fusogenic liposomes (MFLs), the membrane of which is engineered to fuse with the plasmamembrane, was prepared for the membrane localization of PSs. The phototherapeutic efficacy of cells treated with ZnPc-loaded MFLs was superior over that of cells treated with ZnPc-loaded non-fusogenic liposomes, which is the conventional liposomal formulation that delivers the PSs into the intracellular compartments via endocytosis. The membrane localization of ZnPc molecules led to rapid membrane disruption upon irradiation and subsequent necrosis-like cell death. The membrane-localized generation of reactive oxygen species in the cells treated with ZnPc-loaded MFLs was likely to account for the effective disruption of plasmamembrane. Thus, this work provides a novel delivery method to localize the PSs selectively into the plasmamembrane with the enhanced phototherapeutic efficacy. PMID:24892975

Lipid rafts are nanoscopic assemblies of sphingolipids, cholesterol, and specific membrane proteins that contribute to lateral heterogeneity in eukaryotic membranes. Separation of artificial membranes into liquid-ordered (Lo) and liquid-disordered phases is regarded as a common model for this compartmentalization. However, tight lipid packing in Lo phases seems to conflict with efficient partitioning of raft-associated transmembrane (TM) proteins. To assess membrane order as a component of raft organization, we performed fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy with the membrane probes Laurdan and C-laurdan. First, we assessed lipid packing in model membranes of various compositions and found cholesterol and acyl chain dependence of membrane order. Then we probed cell membranes by using two novel systems that exhibit inducible phase separation: giant plasmamembrane vesicles [Baumgart et al. (2007) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 104:3165–3170] and plasmamembrane spheres. Notably, only the latter support selective inclusion of raft TM proteins with the ganglioside GM1 into one phase. We measured comparable small differences in order between the separated phases of both biomembranes. Lateral packing in the ordered phase of giant plasmamembrane vesicles resembled the Lo domain of model membranes, whereas the GM1 phase in plasmamembrane spheres exhibited considerably lower order, consistent with different partitioning of lipid and TM protein markers. Thus, lipid-mediated coalescence of the GM1 raft domain seems to be distinct from the formation of a Lo phase, suggesting additional interactions between proteins and lipids to be effective. PMID:19805351

We have developed a video microscopy system designed for real-time measurement of single cell damage during photolysis under well defined physicochemical and photophysical conditions. Melanoma cells cultured in vitro were treated with the photosensitizer (PS), tin chlorin e6 (SnCe6) or immunoconjugate (SnCe6 conjugated to a anti-ICAM monoclonal antibody), and illuminated with a 10 mW He/Ne laser at a 630 nm wavelength. Cell membrane integrity was assessed using the vital dye calcein-AM. In experiments in which the laser power density and PS concentration were varied, it was determined that the time lag before cell rupture was inversely proportional to the estimated singlet oxygen flux to the cell surface. Microscopic examination of the lytic event indicated that photo-induced lysis was caused by a point rupture of the plasmamembrane. The on-line nature of this microscopy system offers an opportunity to monitor the dynamics of the cell damage process and to gain insights into the mechanism governing photolytic cell injury processes. Images FIGURE 2 FIGURE 3 FIGURE 6 FIGURE 7 PMID:7612864

The plasmamembrane phosphoinositide phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) controls the activity of most ion channels tested thus far through direct electrostatic interactions. Mutations in channel proteins that change their apparent affinity to PIP2 can lead to channelopathies. Given the fundamental role that membrane phosphoinositides play in regulating channel activity, it is surprising that only a small number of channelopathies have been linked to phosphoinositides. This review proposes that for channels whose activity is PIP2-dependent and for which mutations can lead to channelopathies, the possibility that the mutations alter channel-PIP2 interactions ought to be tested. Similarly, diseases that are linked to disorders of the phosphoinositide pathway result in altered PIP2 levels. In such cases, it is proposed that the possibility for a concomitant dysregulation of channel activity also ought to be tested. The ever-growing list of ion channels whose activity depends on interactions with PIP2 promises to provide a mechanism by which defects on either the channel protein or the phosphoinositide levels can lead to disease. PMID:20396900

Studies on the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have revealed that fungal plasmamembranes are organized into different subdomains. One new domain termed MCC/eisosomes consists of stable punctate patches that are distinct from lipid rafts. The MCC/eisosome domains correspond to furrows in the plasmamembrane that are about 300 nm long and 50 nm deep. The MCC portion includes integral membrane proteins, such as the tetraspanners Sur7 and Nce102. The adjacent eisosome includes proteins that are peripherally associated with the membrane, including the BAR domains proteins Pil1 and Lsp1 that are thought to promote membrane curvature. Genetic analysis of the MCC/eisosome components indicates these domains broadly affect overall plasmamembrane organization. The mechanisms regulating the formation of MCC/eisosomes in model organisms will be reviewed as well as the role of these plasmamembrane domains in fungal pathogenesis and response to antifungal drugs. PMID:22368779

The composition of phospholipids, sphingolipids, and sterols in the plasmamembrane has a strong influence on the activity of the proteins associated or embedded in the lipid bilayer. Since most lipid-synthesizing enzymes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae are located in intracellular organelles, an extensive flux of lipids from these organelles to the plasmamembrane is required. Although the pathway of protein traffic to the plasmamembrane is similar to that of most of the lipids, the bulk flow of lipids is separate from vesicle-mediated protein transport. Recent advances in the analysis of membrane budding and membrane fusion indicate that the mechanisms of protein transport from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi and from the Golgi to plasmamembrane are similar. The majority of plasmamembrane proteins transport solutes across the membrane. A number of ATP-dependent export systems have been detected that couple the hydrolysis of ATP to transport of molecules out of the cell. The hydrolysis of ATP by the plasmamembrane H(+)-ATPase generates a proton motive force which is used to drive secondary transport processes. In S. cerevisiae, many substrates are transported by more than one system. Transport of monosaccharide is catalyzed by uniport systems, while transport of disaccharides, amino acids, and nucleosides is mediated by proton symport systems. Transport activity can be regulated at the level of transcription, e.g., induction and (catabolite) repression, but transport proteins can also be affected posttranslationally by a process termed catabolite inactivation. Catabolite inactivation is triggered by the addition of fermentable sugars, intracellular acidification, stress conditions, and/or nitrogen starvation. Phosphorylation and/or ubiquitination of the transport proteins has been proposed as an initial step in the controlled inactivation and degradation of the target enzyme. The use of artificial membranes, like secretory vesicles and plasmamembranes

The composition of phospholipids, sphingolipids, and sterols in the plasmamembrane has a strong influence on the activity of the proteins associated or embedded in the lipid bilayer. Since most lipid-synthesizing enzymes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae are located in intracellular organelles, an extensive flux of lipids from these organelles to the plasmamembrane is required. Although the pathway of protein traffic to the plasmamembrane is similar to that of most of the lipids, the bulk flow of lipids is separate from vesicle-mediated protein transport. Recent advances in the analysis of membrane budding and membrane fusion indicate that the mechanisms of protein transport from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi and from the Golgi to plasmamembrane are similar. The majority of plasmamembrane proteins transport solutes across the membrane. A number of ATP-dependent export systems have been detected that couple the hydrolysis of ATP to transport of molecules out of the cell. The hydrolysis of ATP by the plasmamembrane H(+)-ATPase generates a proton motive force which is used to drive secondary transport processes. In S. cerevisiae, many substrates are transported by more than one system. Transport of monosaccharide is catalyzed by uniport systems, while transport of disaccharides, amino acids, and nucleosides is mediated by proton symport systems. Transport activity can be regulated at the level of transcription, e.g., induction and (catabolite) repression, but transport proteins can also be affected posttranslationally by a process termed catabolite inactivation. Catabolite inactivation is triggered by the addition of fermentable sugars, intracellular acidification, stress conditions, and/or nitrogen starvation. Phosphorylation and/or ubiquitination of the transport proteins has been proposed as an initial step in the controlled inactivation and degradation of the target enzyme. The use of artificial membranes, like secretory vesicles and plasmamembranes

Primexine deposition and plasmamembrane undulation are the initial steps of pollen wall formation. However, little is known about the genes involved in this important biological process. Here, we report a novel gene, NO PRIMEXINE AND PLASMAMEMBRANE UNDULATION (NPU), which functions in the early stage of pollen wall development in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Loss of NPU function causes male sterility due to a defect in callose synthesis and sporopollenin deposition, resulting in disrupted pollen in npu mutants. Transmission electronic microscopy observation demonstrated that primexine deposition and plasmamembrane undulation are completely absent in the npu mutants. NPU encodes a membrane protein with two transmembrane domains and one intracellular domain. In situ hybridization analysis revealed that NPU is strongly expressed in microspores and the tapetum during the tetrad stage. All these results together indicate that NPU plays a vital role in primexine deposition and plasmamembrane undulation during early pollen wall development. PMID:22100644

Background We recently provided evidence that HIV-1 enters HeLa-derived TZM-bl and lymphoid CEMss cells by fusing with endosomes, whereas its fusion with the plasmamembrane does not proceed beyond the lipid mixing step. The mechanism of restriction of HIV-1 fusion at the cell surface and/or the factors that aid the virus entry from endosomes remain unclear. Results We examined HIV-1 fusion with a panel of target cells lines and with primary CD4+ T cells. Kinetic measurements of fusion combined with time-resolved imaging of single viruses further reinforced the notion that HIV-1 enters the cells via endocytosis and fusion with endosomes. Furthermore, we attempted to deliberately redirect virus fusion to the plasmamembrane, using two experimental strategies. First, the fusion reaction was synchronized by pre-incubating the viruses with cells at reduced temperature to allow CD4 and coreceptors engagement, but not the virus uptake or fusion. Subsequent shift to a physiological temperature triggered accelerated virus uptake followed by entry from endosomes, but did not permit fusion at the cell surface. Second, blocking HIV-1 endocytosis by a small-molecule dynamin inhibitor, dynasore, resulted in transfer of viral lipids to the plasmamembrane without any detectable release of the viral content into the cytosol. We also found that a higher concentration of dynasore is required to block the HIV-endosome fusion compared to virus internalization. Conclusions Our results further support the notion that HIV-1 enters disparate cell types through fusion with endosomes. The block of HIV-1 fusion with the plasmamembrane at a post-lipid mixing stage shows that this membrane is not conducive to fusion pore formation and/or enlargement. The ability of dynasore to interfere with the virus-endosome fusion suggests that dynamin could be involved in two distinct steps of HIV-1 entry - endocytosis and fusion within intracellular compartments. PMID:22145853

α-Crystallin, a large lenticular protein complex made up of two related subunits (αA- and αB-crystallin), is known to associate increasingly with fiber cell plasmamembranes with age and/or the onset of cataract. To understand better the binding mechanism, we developed a sensitive membrane binding assay using lens plasmamembranes and recombinant human αA- and αB-crystallins conjugated to a small fluorescent tag (Alexa350®). Both αA and αB homopolymer complexes, as well as a reconstituted 3:1 heteromeric complex, bind to lens membranes in a specific, saturable, and partially irreversible manner that is sensitive to both time and temperature. The amount of α-crystallin that binds to the membrane increases under acidic pH conditions and upon removal of exposed intrinsic membrane protein domains but is not affected at high ionic strength, suggesting that α-crystallin binds to the fiber cell plasmamembranes mainly through hydrophobic interactions. The binding capacity and affinity for the reconstituted 3:1 heteromeric complex were measured to be 3.45 ± 0.11 ng/μg of membrane and 4.57 ± 0.50 × 10−4 μg−1 of membrane, respectively. The present membrane binding data support the hypothesis that the physical properties of a mixed α-crystallin complex may hold particular relevance for the function of α-crystallin within the lens. PMID:10692476

Highlights: • Methyl methane sulfonate (MMS) is used as the sulfonating agent. • The proton conductivity of the membrane is found to be 0.141 S cm{sup −1}. • Power density of fuel cell with styrene/MMS membrane is 0.5 W cm{sup −2}. • The membrane exhibits thermal stability up to 140 °C. - Abstract: This work presents the introduction of an organic compound methyl methane sulfonate (MMS) for the first time in fabrication of polystyrene based proton exchange membrane (PEM) by plasma polymerization process. The membrane is fabricated by co-polymerizing styrene and MMS in capacitively coupled continuous RF plasma. The chemical composition of the plasma polymerized polymer membrane is investigated using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy which reveals the formation of composite structure of styrene and MMS. The surface morphology studied using AFM and SEM depicts the effect of higher partial pressure of MMS on surface topography of the membrane. The proton transport property of the membrane studied using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy shows the achievement of maximum proton conductivity of 0.141 S cm{sup −1} which is comparable to Nafion 117 membrane. Fuel cell performance test of the synthesized membrane shows a maximum power density of 500 mW cm{sup −2} and current density of 0.62 A cm{sup −2} at 0.6 V.

A method and apparatus for sensing gravity using an NADH oxidase of the plasmamembrane which has been found to respond to unit gravity and low centrifugal g forces. The oxidation rate of NADH supplied to the NADH oxidase is measured and translated to represent the relative gravitational force exerted on the protein. The NADH oxidase of the plasmamembrane may be obtained from plant or animal sources or may be produced recombinantly.

Although biochemical studies suggested a high permeability of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane for small molecules, proteomics identified few specialized ER transporters. To test functionality of transporters during ER passage, we tested whether glucose transporters (GLUTs, SGLTs) destined for the plasmamembrane are active during ER transit. HepG2 cells were characterized by low-affinity ER transport activity, suggesting that ER uptake is protein mediated. The much-reduced capacity of HEK293T cells to take up glucose across the plasmamembrane correlated with low ER transport. Ectopic expression of GLUT1, -2, -4, or -9 induced GLUT isoform-specific ER transport activity in HEK293T cells. In contrast, the Na+-glucose cotransporter SGLT1 mediated efficient plasmamembrane glucose transport but no detectable ER uptake, probably because of lack of a sufficient sodium gradient across the ER membrane. In conclusion, we demonstrate that GLUTs are sufficient for mediating ER glucose transport en route to the plasmamembrane. Because of the low volume of the ER, trace amounts of these uniporters contribute to ER solute import during ER transit, while uniporters and cation-coupled transporters carry out export from the ER, together potentially explaining the low selectivity of ER transport. Expression levels and residence time of transporters in the ER, as well as their coupling mechanisms, could be key determinants of ER permeability.—Takanaga, H., Frommer, W. B. Facilitative plasmamembrane transporters function during ER transit. PMID:20354141

Plasmamembrane hemichannels composed of connexin (Cx) proteins are essential components of gap junction channels but accumulating evidence suggests functions of hemichannels beyond the communication provided by junctional channels. Hemichannels not incorporated into gap junctions, called unapposed hemichannels, can open in response to a variety of signals, electrical and chemical, thereby forming a conduit between the cell’s interior and the extracellular milieu. Open hemichannels allow the bidirectional passage of ions and small metabolic or signaling molecules of below 1–2 kDa molecular weight. In addition to connexins, hemichannels can also be formed by pannexin (Panx) proteins and current evidence suggests that Cx26, Cx32, Cx36, Cx43 and Panx1, form hemichannels that allow the diffusive release of paracrine messengers. In particular, the case is strong for ATP but substantial evidence is also available for other messengers like glutamate and prostaglandins or metabolic substances like NAD+ or glutathione. While this field is clearly in expansion, evidence is still lacking at essential points of the paracrine signaling cascade that includes not only messenger release, but also downstream receptor signaling and consequent functional effects. The data available at this moment largely derives from in vitro experiments and still suffers from the difficulty of separating the functions of connexin-based hemichannels from gap junctions and from pannexin hemichannels. However, messengers like ATP or glutamate have universal roles in the body and further defining the contribution of hemichannels as a possible release pathway is expected to open novel avenues for better understanding their contribution to a variety of physiological and pathological processes. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: The Communicating junctions, roles and dysfunctions. PMID:22796188

Plasmamembrane proteome analysis is of significance for screening candidate biomarkers and drug targets. However, due to their low abundance and lack of specific groups that can enable their capture, the plasmamembrane proteins (PMPs) are under-represented. On the basis of the fact that PMPs are embedded in or anchored to the phospholipid bilayer of the plasmamembrane and the glycan moieties of proteins and lipids located on the plasmamembrane are exposed outside of the cell surface, we proposed a strategy to capture PMPs, termed as glycan moieties-directed PMPs enrichment (GMDPE). With the glycan moieties exposed outside of the cells as bait to ensure the selectivity and the phospholipid bilayer as raft to provide the sensitivity, we applied this strategy into the plasmamembrane proteome analysis of HeLa cells, and in total, 772 PMPs were identified, increased by 4.5 times compared to those identified by the reported cell surface biotinylation method. Notably, among them, 86 CD antigens and 16 ion channel proteins were confidently identified. All these results demonstrated that our proposed approach has great potential in the large scale plasmamembrane proteome profiling. PMID:27088673

Temperature has a direct effect at the cellular level on an organism. For instance, in the case of biomembranes, cooling causes lipids to lose entropy and pack closely together. Reducing temperature should, in the absence of other factors, increase the viscosity of a lipid membrane. We have investigated the effect of temperature variation on plasmamembrane (PM) viscosity. We used dispersion tracking of photoactivated green fluorescent protein (GFP) and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching in wild-type and desaturase mutant Arabidopsis thaliana plants along with membrane lipid saturation analysis to monitor the effect of temperature and membrane lipid composition on PM viscosity. Plasmamembrane viscosity in A. thaliana is negatively correlated with ambient temperature only under constant-temperature conditions. In the more natural environment of temperature cycles, plants actively manage PM viscosity to counteract the direct effects of temperature. Plasmamembrane viscosity is regulated by altering the proportion of desaturated fatty acids. In cold conditions, cell membranes accumulate desaturated fatty acids, which decreases membrane viscosity and vice versa. Moreover, we show that control of fatty acid desaturase 2 (FAD2)-dependent lipid desaturation is essential for this homeostasis of membrane viscosity. Finally, a lack of FAD2 function results in aberrant temperature responses. PMID:21762166

Radioactive galactose, covalently bound to cell surface glycoconjugates on mouse macrophage cells, P388D/sub 1/, was used as a membrane marker to study the composition, and the kinetics of exchange, of plasmamembrane-derived constituents in the membrane of secondary lysosomes. Secondary lysosomes were separated from endosomes and plasmamembrane by self-forming Percoll density gradients. Horseradish peroxidase, taken up by fluid-phase pinocytosis, served as a vesicle contents marker to monitor transfer of endosomal contents into secondary lysosomes. Concurrently, the fraction of plasmamembrane-derived label of secondary lysosomes increased by first order kinetics from <0.1% to a steady-state level of approx.2.5% of the total label. As analyzed by NaDodSO/sub 4/ PAGE, labeled molecules of M/sub r/ 160-190 kD were depleted and of the M/sub r/ 100-120 kD were enriched in lysosome membrane compared with the relative composition of label on the cell surface. No corresponding selectivity was observed for the degradation of label, with all M/sub r/ classes being affected to the same relative extent. The results indicate that endocytosis-derived transfer of plasmamembrane constitutents to secondary lysosomes is a limited and selective process, and that only approx.1% of internalized membrane is recycled via a membrane pool of secondary lysosomes.

High density (>=3x10^17cm-3) and high Mach number (M>10) plasma jets have important applications such as plasma rotation, refueling and disruption mitigation in tokamaks. The most deleterious blow-by instability occurs in coaxial plasma accelerators; hence electrode shape optimization is required to accelerate plasmas to ˜200 km/s [1]. A full 3D particle simulation takes a huge computational time. We have developed a membrane model to provide a good starting point and further physical insight for a full 3D optimization. Our model approximates the axisymmetrical plasma by a thin supple conducting membrane with a distributed mass, located between the electrodes, and connects them to model dynamics of the blow-by instability and to conduct the optimization. The supple membrane is allowed to slip along the conductors freely or with some friction as affected by Lorenz force, generated by magnetic field inside the chamber and current on membrane. The total mass and the density distribution represent the initial plasma. The density is redistributed adiabatically during the acceleration. An external electrical circuit with capacitance, inductance and resistivity is a part of the model. The membrane model simulation results will be compared to the 2D fluid MACH2 results and then will be used to guide a full 3D optimization by the LSP code. 1. http://hyperv.com/projects/pic/

In this paper, an omnidirectional photonic band gap realized by one-dimensional ternary unmagnetized plasma photonic crystals based on a new Fibonacci quasiperiodic structure, which is composed of homogeneous unmagnetized plasma and two kinds of isotropic dielectric, is theoretically studied by the transfer matrix method. It has been shown that such an omnidirectional photonic band gap originates from Bragg gap in contrast to zero-n gap or single negative (negative permittivity or negative permeability) gap, and it is insensitive to the incidence angle and the polarization of electromagnetic wave. From the numerical results, the frequency range and central frequency of omnidirectional photonic band gap can be tuned by the thickness and density of the plasma but cease to change with increasing Fibonacci order. The bandwidth of omnidirectional photonic band gap can be notably enlarged. Moreover, the plasma collision frequency has no effect on the bandwidth of omnidirectional photonic band gap. It is shown that such new structure Fibonacci quasiperiodic one-dimensional ternary plasma photonic crystals have a superior feature in the enhancement of frequency range of omnidirectional photonic band gap compared with the conventional ternary and conventional Fibonacci quasiperiodic ternary plasma photonic crystals.

This investigation aims to determine whether clinorotation 2 rev min of pea Pisum sativum L seedlings induces the alterations in the physical-chemical properties of cellular membranes including the plasmamembrane fluidity The last is an important regulator of functional activity of membrane enzymes The plasmamembranes were isolated by aqueous two-phase partitioning from roots of 6-day old pea seedlings The membrane fluidity was examined by fluorescence spectroscopy using pyrene probe The plasmamembrane vesicles with known protein concentration were added to the incubation buffer to a final concentration of 50 mu g of protein per ml A small amount by 1 mu l of pyrene solution in 2-propanol was added to the incubation mixture to a final probe concentration 5 mu M at constant mixing Fluorescence spectra were measured using a Perkin-Elmer LS-50 spectrofluorometer Perkin-Elmer England Pyrene was excited at 337 nm and fluorescence intensity of monomers I M and excimers I E were measured at 393 and 470 nm respectively The I E I M ratios were 0 081 pm 0 003 and 0 072 pm 0 004 in preparations obtained from clinorotated and the control seedlings respectively This fact indicates that rotation on the clinostat increases the membrane fluidity Compared with controls clinorotated seedlings have also showed a reduced growth and a higher level of total unsaturated fatty acids determined by gas chromatography The factors that influence on the fluidity of membrane lipids in bilayer appear to be the

The deposition of plasma polymer coatings onto porous alumina (PA) membranes was investigated with the aim of adjusting the surface chemistry and the pore size of the membranes. PA membranes from commercial sources with a range of pore diameters (20, 100 and 200 nm) were used and modified by plasma polymerization using n-heptylamine (HA) monomer, which resulted in a chemically reactive polymer surface with amino groups. Heptylamine plasma polymer (HAPP) layers with a thickness less than the pore diameter do not span the pores but reduce their diameter. Accordingly, by adjusting the deposition time and thus the thickness of the plasma polymer coating, it is feasible to produce any desired pore diameter. The structural and chemical properties of modified membranes were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and x-ray electron spectroscopy (XPS). The resultant PA membranes with specific surface chemistry and controlled pore size are applicable for molecular separation, cell culture, bioreactors, biosensing, drug delivery, and engineering complex composite membranes.

The properties of polyethylene terephthalate track membranes (PET TM) exposed to ammonia are investigated. The influence of the conditions of plasma treatment on the basic characteristics of the membranes, namely pore size and shape, wettability, water permeability, is studied. PET TM of the thickness of 10 μ m with the effective pore diameter of 0.215 μ m (pore density 2\\cdot 10^8 cm-2) were under study. The plasma treatment was performed on a plasma-chemical installation realizing a RF-discharge on the frequency 13.56 MHz. The process was conducted in a dynamic mode. Before delivering vapours of the plasma forming gas, the chamber was beforehand vacuumed down to residual pressure of 10-2 Torr. One side of the membranes was subjected to plasma. The discharge parameters (gas pressure in the vacuum chamber, discharge power) and the duration of plasma action were varied. It has been figured out that when treating the membranes in plasma of the explored gas there are two competing processes: etching of a polymeric matrix and deposition of a polymeric layer on their surface. It has been shown that at a short time of plasma action and low values of the discharge parameters, an etching process is mainly observed. Decrease in the thickness of the membranes and increase in the effective pore diameter testifies it. A result of the gas-discharge etching is also a hydrophilization of the TM surface stipulated by formation of polar function groups in the points of breaking chemical bonds. Here the value of the water contact angle of surface decreases down to 45-50 degrees in some cases. It has been shown that at a longer action of the plasma and increase of the discharge parameters, as accumulation in the chamber of etch products takes place, a process of deposition of a polymeric film becomes dominating, and it is proved by increasing the width of the membranes and changing their color. The value of the water contact angle of surface in this case is grown and, depending

In the present study the authors have shown that glycoproteins are present in the plasmamembrane of Acanthamoeba castellanii by utilizing different radioactive labeling techniques. Plasmamembrane proteins in the amoeba were iodinated by {sup 125}I-lactoperoxidase labeling and the solubilized radiolabeled glycoproteins were separated by lectin-Sepharose affinity chromatography followed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The periodate/NaB{sup 3}H{sub 4} and galactose oxidase/NaB{sup 3}H{sub 4} labeling techniques were used for labeling of surface carbohydrates in the amoeba. Several surface-labeled glycoproteins were observed in addition to a diffusely labeled region with M{sub r} of 55,000-75,000 seen on electrophoresis, which could represent glycolipids. The presence of glycoproteins in the plasmamembrane of Acanthamoeba castellanii was confirmed by metabolic labeling with ({sup 35}S)methionine followed by lectin-Sepharose affinity chromatography and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

The characteristics of fusicoccin binding were investigated in microsomes from 24-h-old radish (Raphanus sativus L.) seedlings. The time course of fusicoccin binding depended on fusicoccin concentration: equilibrium was reached much faster at 10 nanomolar fusicoccin than at 0.3 nanomolar fusicoccin. Scatchard analysis of equilibrium binding as a function of fusicoccin concentration indicated a single class of receptor sites with a Kd of 1.8 nanomolar and a site density of 6.3 picomoles per milligram protein. Similar values (Kd 1.7 nanomolar and site density 7 picomoles per milligram protein) were obtained from the analysis of the dependence of equilibrium binding on membrane concentration at fixed fusicoccin concentrations. Fusicoccin binding comigrated with the plasmamembrane H+-ATPase in an equilibrium sucrose density gradient: both activities formed a sharp peak (1.18 grams per milliliter) clearly distinct from that of markers of other membranes which all peaked at lower densities. The saturation profiles of fusicoccin binding and of fusicoccin-induced activation of the plasmamembrane H+-ATPase, measured under identical conditions, were similar, supporting the view that fusicoccin-induced activation of the plasmamembrane H+-ATPase is mediated by fusicoccin binding to its plasmamembrane receptor. PMID:16666723

The POTE gene family is composed of 13 paralogs and likely evolved by duplications and remodeling of the human genome. One common property of POTE proteins is their localization on the inner aspect of the plasmamembrane. To determine the structural elements required for membrane localization, we expressed mutants of different POTEs in 293T cells as EGFP fusion proteins. We also tested their palmitoylation by a biotin-switch assay. Our data indicate that the membrane localizations of different POTEs are mediated by similar 3-4 short cysteine rich repeats (CRRs) near the amino-terminuses and that palmitoylation on paired cysteine residues in each CRR motif is responsible for the localization. Multiple palmitoylation in the small CRRs can result in the strong association of whole POTEs with plasmamembrane.

A prerequisite for life is the ability to maintain electrochemical imbalances across biomembranes. In all eukaryotes the plasmamembrane potential and secondary transport systems are energized by the activity of P-type ATPase membrane proteins: H+-ATPase (the proton pump) in plants and fungi, and Na+,K+-ATPase (the sodium-potassium pump) in animals. The name P-type derives from the fact that these proteins exploit a phosphorylated reaction cycle intermediate of ATP hydrolysis. The plasmamembrane proton pumps belong to the type III P-type ATPase subfamily, whereas Na+,K+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase are type II. Electron microscopy has revealed the overall shape of proton pumps, however, an atomic structure has been lacking. Here we present the first structure of a P-type proton pump determined by X-ray crystallography. Ten transmembrane helices and three cytoplasmic domains define the functional unit of ATP-coupled proton transport across the plasmamembrane, and the structure is locked in a functional state not previously observed in P-type ATPases. The transmembrane domain reveals a large cavity, which is likely to be filled with water, located near the middle of the membrane plane where it is lined by conserved hydrophilic and charged residues. Proton transport against a high membrane potential is readily explained by this structural arrangement. PMID:18075595

The iron oxide-hydroxyapatite (FeOxHA) nanoparticles reported here differ from those reported before by their advantage of homogeneity and simple preparation; moreover, the presence of carboxymethyldextran (CMD), together with hydroxyapatite (HA), allows access to the cellular membrane, which makes our magnetic apatite unique. These nanoparticles combine magnetic behavior, Raman label ability and the property of interaction with the cellular membrane; they therefore represent an interesting material for structural differentiation of the cell membrane. It was observed by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fluorescence microscopy that FeOxHA adheres to the plasmamembrane and does not penetrate the membrane. These insights make the nanoparticles a promising material for magnetic cell sorting, e.g. in microfluidic device applications.

The volume of isolated protoplasts of rye (Secale cereale L. cv Puma) in a suspending solution at constant concentration is shown to be negligibly changed by tensions in the plasmamembrane which approach that tension necessary to lyse them. This allows a detailed investigation of the plasmamembrane stress-strain relation by micropipette aspiration. Over periods less than a second, the membrane behaves as an elastic two-dimensional fluid with an area modulus of elasticity of 230 millinewtons per meter. Over longer periods, the stress-strain relation approaches a surface energy law--the resting tension is independent of area and has a value of the order 100 micronewtons per meter. Over longer periods the untensioned area, which is defined as the area that would be occupied by the molecules in the membrane at any given time if the tension were zero, increases with time under large imposed tensions and decreases under sufficiently small tension. It is proposed that these long term responses are the result of exchange of material between the plane of the membrane and a reservoir of membrane material. The irreversibility of large contractions in area is demonstrated directly, and the behavior of protoplasts during osmotically induced cycles of contraction and expansion is explained in terms of the membrane stress-strain relation.

The T lymphocyte plasmamembrane condenses at the site of activation but the functional significance of this receptor-mediated membrane reorganization is not yet known. Here we demonstrate that membrane condensation at the T cell activation sites can be inhibited by incorporation of the oxysterol 7-ketocholesterol (7KC), which is known to prevent the formation of raft-like liquid-ordered domains in model membranes. We enriched T cells with 7KC, or cholesterol as control, to assess the importance of membrane condensation for T cell activation. Upon 7KC treatment, T cell antigen receptor (TCR) triggered calcium fluxes and early tyrosine phosphorylation events appear unaltered. However, signaling complexes form less efficiently on the cell surface, fewer phosphorylated signaling proteins are retained in the plasmamembrane and actin restructuring at activation sites is impaired in 7KC-enriched cells resulting in compromised downstream activation responses. Our data emphasizes lipids as an important medium for the organization at T cell activation sites and strongly indicates that membrane condensation is an important element of the T cell activation process. PMID:18509459

Clearly, we have presented here evidence of a very complex set of mechanisms and proteins involved with various and intricate actions of steroids at the plasmamembrane. Steroids do MUCH more at the plasmamembrane than simply passing passively through it. They may sit in the membrane; they are bound by numerous proteins in the membrane, including ERs, SHBG, steroid-binding globulin receptors, and perhaps elements of cellular architecture such as tubulin. It also seems likely that the membrane itself responds graphically to the presence of steroids by actually changing its shape as well, perhaps, as accumulating steroids. Clara Szego suggested in the 1980s that actions of E2 at one level would act synergistically with its actions at another level (e.g. membrane actions would complement nuclear actions). Given the sheer number of proteins involved in steroid actions, just at the membrane level, it seems unlikely that every action of a steroid on every potential protein effector will act to the same end. It seems more likely that these multiple effects and sites of effect of steroids contribute to the confusion that exists as to what actions steroids always have. For example, there is confusion with regard to synthetic agents (SERMs etc.) that have different and often opposite actions depending on which organ they act upon. A better understanding of the basic actions of steroids should aid in understanding the variability of their clinical effects. PMID:27018128

The plasmamembrane ATPase, encoded by PMA1, is delivered to the cell surface via the secretory pathway. Previously, we characterized a temperature-sensitive pma1 mutant in which newly synthesized Pma1-7 is not delivered to the plasmamembrane but is mislocalized instead to the vacuole at 37°C. Several vps mutants, which are defective in vacuolar protein sorting, suppress targeting-defective pma1 by allowing mutant Pma1 to move once again to the plasmamembrane. In this study, we have analyzed trafficking in the endosomal system by monitoring the movement of Pma1-7 in vps36, vps1, and vps8 mutants. Upon induction of expression, mutant Pma1 accumulates in the prevacuolar compartment in vps36 cells. After chase, a fraction of newly synthesized Pma1-7 is delivered to the plasmamembrane. In both vps1 and vps8 cells, newly synthesized mutant Pma1 appears in small punctate structures before arrival at the cell surface. Nevertheless, biosynthetic membrane traffic appears to follow different routes in vps8 and vps1: the vacuolar protein-sorting receptor Vps10p is stable in vps8 but not in vps1. Furthermore, a defect in endocytic delivery to the vacuole was revealed in vps8 (and vps36) but not vps1 by endocytosis of the bulk membrane marker FM 4-64. Moreover, in vps8 cells, there is defective down-regulation from the cell surface of the mating receptor Ste3, consistent with persistent receptor recycling from an endosomal compartment to the plasmamembrane. These data support a model in which mutant Pma1 is diverted from the Golgi to the surface in vps1 cells. We hypothesize that in vps8 and vps36, in contrast to vps1, mutant Pma1 moves to the surface via endosomal intermediates, implicating an endosome-to-surface traffic pathway. PMID:10679016

Photoactivation of caged biomolecules has become a powerful approach to study cellular signalling events. Here we report a method for anchoring and uncaging biomolecules exclusively at the outer leaflet of the plasmamembrane by employing a photocleavable, sulfonated coumarin derivative. The novel caging group allows quantifying the reaction progress and efficiency of uncaging reactions in a live-cell microscopy setup, thereby greatly improving the control of uncaging experiments. We synthesized arachidonic acid derivatives bearing the new negatively charged or a neutral, membrane-permeant coumarin caging group to locally induce signalling either at the plasmamembrane or on internal membranes in β-cells and brain slices derived from C57B1/6 mice. Uncaging at the plasmamembrane triggers a strong enhancement of calcium oscillations in β-cells and a pronounced potentiation of synaptic transmission while uncaging inside cells blocks calcium oscillations in β-cells and causes a more transient effect on neuronal transmission, respectively. The precise subcellular site of arachidonic acid release is therefore crucial for signalling outcome in two independent systems. PMID:26686736

Photoactivation of caged biomolecules has become a powerful approach to study cellular signalling events. Here we report a method for anchoring and uncaging biomolecules exclusively at the outer leaflet of the plasmamembrane by employing a photocleavable, sulfonated coumarin derivative. The novel caging group allows quantifying the reaction progress and efficiency of uncaging reactions in a live-cell microscopy setup, thereby greatly improving the control of uncaging experiments. We synthesized arachidonic acid derivatives bearing the new negatively charged or a neutral, membrane-permeant coumarin caging group to locally induce signalling either at the plasmamembrane or on internal membranes in β-cells and brain slices derived from C57B1/6 mice. Uncaging at the plasmamembrane triggers a strong enhancement of calcium oscillations in β-cells and a pronounced potentiation of synaptic transmission while uncaging inside cells blocks calcium oscillations in β-cells and causes a more transient effect on neuronal transmission, respectively. The precise subcellular site of arachidonic acid release is therefore crucial for signalling outcome in two independent systems. PMID:26686736

The distribution of cholesterol between the two leaves of the plasmamembrane in mammalian cells presents a conundrum; given cholesterol's known affinity for sphingomyelin, which resides predominantly in the exoplasmic leaf, why is it that experiment finds a majority of the cholesterol in the cytoplasmic leaf? This article reviews a recently proposed solution to this puzzle. PMID:26724709

In regulated exocytosis, it is generally assumed that vesicles must stably “dock” at the plasmamembrane before they are primed to become fusion-competent. However, recent biophysical analyses in living cells that visualize fluorescent secretory granules have revealed that exocytic behaviors are not necessarily uniform: some granules beneath the plasmamembrane are resistant to Ca2+ -triggered release, while others are accelerated to fuse without a pause for stable docking. These findings suggest that stable docking is unnecessary, and can even be inhibitory or nonfunctional, for fusion. Consistently, pancreatic β cells deficient in the Rab27 effector, granuphilin, lack insulin granules directly attached to the plasmamembrane in electron micrographs but nevertheless exhibit augmented exocytosis. Here we directly compare the exocytic behaviors between granuphilin-positive and -negative insulin granules. Although granuphilin makes granules immobile and fusion-reluctant beneath the plasmamembrane, those granuphilin-positive, docked granules release a portion of granuphilin upon fusion, and fuse at a frequency and time course similar to those of granuphilin-negative undocked granules. Furthermore, granuphilin forms a 180-nm cluster at the site of each docked granule, along with granuphilin-interacting Rab27a and Munc18-1 clusters. These findings indicate that granuphilin is an exclusive component of the functional and fusion-inhibitory docking machinery of secretory granules. PMID:27032672

Establishment of the diploid status occurs with the fusion of female and male gametes. Both the mammalian oocyte and spermatozoa are haploid cells surrounded with plasmamembranes that are rich in various proteins playing a crucial role during fertilization. Fertilization is a complex and ordered st...

TRP ion channels are ubiquitously present in the mammalian body and take part in numerous key physiological functions, including temperature sensing, taste perception, osmo-regulation, cardiac function, renal function, development, and glucose homeostasis. The mechanisms whereby TRP channels are transported to the plasmamembrane, where most of them exert their physiological actions, remains a poorly understood aspect of TRP channel biology.

The use of polymeric medical devices has stimulated the development of new sterilization methods. The traditional techniques rely on ethylene oxide, but there are many questions concerning the carcinogenic properties of the ethylene oxide residues adsorbed on the materials after processing. Another common technique is the gamma irradiation process, but it is costly, its safe operation requires an isolated site, and it also affects the bulk properties of the polymers. The use of gas plasma is an elegant alternative sterilization technique. The plasma promotes efficient inactivation of the microorganisms, minimizes damage to the materials, and presents very little danger for personnel and the environment. In this study we used plasma for microbial inhibition of chitosan membranes. The membranes were treated with oxygen, methane, or argon plasma for different time periods (15, 30, 45, or 60 min). For inhibition of microbial growth with oxygen plasma, the time needed was 60 min. For the methane plasma, samples were successfully treated after 30, 45, and 60 min. For argon plasma, all treatment periods were effective. PMID:24251774

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) forms contacts with the plasmamembrane. These contacts are known to function in non-vesicular lipid transport and signaling. Ist2 resides in specific domains of the ER in Saccharomyces cerevisiae where it binds phosphoinositide lipids at the cytosolic face of the plasmamembrane. Here, we report that Ist2 recruits domains of the yeast ER to the plasmamembrane. Ist2 determines the amount of cortical ER present and the distance between the ER and the plasmamembrane. Deletion of IST2 resulted in an increased distance between ER and plasmamembrane and allowed access of ribosomes to the space between the two membranes. Cells that overexpress Ist2 showed an association of the nucleus with the plasmamembrane. The morphology of the ER and yeast growth were sensitive to the abundance of Ist2. Moreover, Ist2-dependent effects on cytosolic pH and genetic interactions link Ist2 to the activity of the H+ pump Pma1 in the plasmamembrane during cellular adaptation to the growth phase of the culture. Consistently we found a partial colocalization of Ist2-containing cortical ER and Pma1-containing domains of the plasmamembrane. Hence Ist2 may be critically positioned in domains that couple functions of the ER and the plasmamembrane. PMID:22808051

ATP-binding cassette transporters Pdr5 and Yor1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae control the asymmetric distribution of phospholipids across the plasmamembrane as well as serving as ATP-dependent drug efflux pumps. Mutant strains lacking these transporter proteins were found to exhibit very different resistance phenotypes to two inhibitors of sphingolipid biosynthesis that act either late (aureobasidin A [AbA]) or early (myriocin [Myr]) in the pathway leading to production of these important plasmamembrane lipids. These pdr5Δ yor1 strains were highly AbA resistant but extremely sensitive to Myr. We provide evidence that these phenotypic changes are likely due to modulation of the plasmamembrane flippase complexes, Dnf1/Lem3 and Dnf2/Lem3. Flippases act to move phospholipids from the outer to the inner leaflet of the plasmamembrane. Genetic analyses indicate that lem3Δ mutant strains are highly AbA sensitive and Myr resistant. These phenotypes are fully epistatic to those seen in pdr5Δ yor1 strains. Direct analysis of AbA-induced signaling demonstrated that loss of Pdr5 and Yor1 inhibited the AbA-triggered phosphorylation of the AGC kinase Ypk1 and its substrate Orm1. Microarray experiments found that a pdr5Δ yor1 strain induced a Pdr1-dependent induction of the entire Pdr regulon. Our data support the view that Pdr5/Yor1 negatively regulate flippase function and activity of the nuclear Pdr1 transcription factor. Together, these data argue that the interaction of the ABC transporters Pdr5 and Yor1 with the Lem3-dependent flippases regulates permeability of AbA via control of plasmamembrane protein function as seen for the high-affinity tryptophan permease Tat2. PMID:25724885

The activity of 3 plasmamembranes marker enzymes (5'-nucleotidase, Mg++-ATPase and alkaline phosphodiesterase-I) was determined in plasmamembranes isolated from liver of control and of clofibrate-treated rats. A complete indentity of plasmamembranes enzyme activity in the 2 groups of experimental animals was observed for the 3 enzymes studied. PMID:6102923

To gain novel insights into the dynamics of exocytosis, our group focuses on the changes in lipid bilayer shape that must be precisely regulated during the fusion of vesicle and plasmamembranes. These rapid and localized changes are achieved by dynamic interactions between lipids and specialized proteins that control membrane curvature. The absence of such interactions would not only have devastating consequences for vesicle fusion, but a host of other cellular functions that involve control of membrane shape. In recent years, the identity of a number of proteins with membrane-shaping properties has been determined. What remains missing is a roadmap of when, where, and how they act as fusion and content release progress. Our understanding of the molecular events that enable membrane remodeling has historically been limited by a lack of analytical methods that are sensitive to membrane curvature or have the temporal resolution to track rapid changes. PTIRFM satisfies both of these criteria. We discuss how pTIRFM is implemented to visualize and interpret rapid, submicron changes in the orientation of chromaffin cell membranes during dense core vesicle (DCV) fusion. The chromaffin cells we use are isolated from bovine adrenal glands. The membrane is stained with a lipophilic carbocyanine dye,1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindodicarbocyanine, 4-chlorobenzenesulfonate, or diD. DiD intercalates in the membrane plane with a "fixed" orientation and is therefore sensitive to the polarization of the evanescent field. The diD-stained cell membrane is sequentially excited with orthogonal polarizations of a 561 nm laser (p-pol, s-pol). A 488 nm laser is used to visualize vesicle constituents and time the moment of fusion. Exocytosis is triggered by locally perfusing cells with a depolarizing KCl solution. Analysis is performed offline using custom-written software to understand how diD emission intensity changes relate to fusion pore dilation. PMID:24747638

The plasmamembrane of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is likely to contain proteins that could serve as novel drug targets, diagnostic probes or even components of a vaccine against tuberculosis. With this in mind, we have undertaken proteome analysis of the membrane of M. tuberculosis H37Rv. Isolated membrane vesicles were extracted with either a detergent (Triton X114) or an alkaline buffer (carbonate) following two of the protocols recommended for membrane protein enrichment. Proteins were resolved by 2D-GE using immobilized pH gradient (IPG) strips, and identified by peptide mass mapping utilizing the M. tuberculosis genome database. The two extraction procedures yielded patterns with minimal overlap. Only two proteins, both HSPs, showed a common presence. MALDI–MS analysis of 61 spots led to the identification of 32 proteins, 17 of which were new to the M. tuberculosis proteome database. We classified 19 of the identified proteins as ‘membrane-associated’; 14 of these were further classified as ‘membrane-bound’, three of which were lipoproteins. The remaining proteins included four heat-shock proteins and several enzymes involved in energy or lipid metabolism. Extraction with Triton X114 was found to be more effective than carbonate for detecting ‘putative’ M. tuberculosis membrane proteins. The protocol was also found to be suitable for comparing BCG and M. tuberculosis membranes, identifying ESAT-6 as being expressed selectively in M. tuberculosis. While this study demonstrates for the first time some of the membrane proteins of M. tuberculosis, it also underscores the problems associated with proteomic analysis of a complex membrane such as that of a mycobacterium. PMID:18629250

1. Plasmamembranes were isolated from crude nuclear sediments from mouse and rat liver by a rate-dependent centrifugation through a sucrose density gradient contained in the `A' type zonal rotor. 2. The membranes were further purified by isopycnic centrifugation, and characterized enzymically, chemically and morphologically. 3. When the plasma-membrane fraction of sucrose density 1.17g/cm3 was dispersed in a tight-fitting homogenizer, two subfractions of densities 1.12 and 1.18 were obtained by isopycnic centrifugation. 4. The light subfraction contained 5′-nucleotidase, nucleoside diphosphatase, leucine naphthylamidase and Mg2+-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase activities at higher specific activities than unfractionated membranes. The heavy subfraction was deficient in the above enzymes but contained higher Na++K+-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase activity. 5. The light subfraction contained twice as much phospholipid and cholesterol, and three times as much N-acetylneuraminic acid relative to unit protein weight as the heavy subfraction. Polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis indicated differences in protein composition. 6. Electron microscopy showed the light subfraction to be vesicular. The heavy subfraction contained membrane strips with junctional complexes in addition to vesicles. ImagesPLATE 2PLATE 3PLATE 1 PMID:4315049

A rapid and reliable method for the isolation of plasmamembranes and microsomes of high purity and yield from cultured glioma cells is described. The procedure involves disruption by N2 cavitation, preliminary separation by centrifugation in Tricine buffer, and final separation on a gradient formed from 40% Percoll at pH 9.3. Enzyme and chemical markers indicated greater than 60% yield with six- to eightfold enrichment for plasmamembranes and greater than 25% yield with three- to fourfold enrichment for a microsomal fraction consisting mainly of endoplasmic reticulum. The final fractions were obtained with high reproducibility in less than 1 h from the time of cell harvesting. Application of this procedure to human fibroblasts in culture is assessed. The isolation procedure was applied to investigations of synthesis and turnover of sphingomyelin and phosphatidylcholine in plasmamembranes of glioma cells following incubation for 4-24 h with (methyl-/sup 3/H)choline. These studies indicated that radioactivity from phosphatidylcholine synthesized in microsomes from exogenous choline may serve as a precursor of the head-group of sphingomyelin accumulating in the plasmamembrane.

The hormone-stimulated and growth-related cell surface hydroquinone (NADH) oxidase activity of etiolated hypocotyls of soybeans oscillates with a period of about 24 min or 60 times per 24-h day. Plasmamembranes of soybean hypocotyls contain two such NADH oxidase activities that have been resolved by purification on concanavalin A columns. One in the apparent molecular weight range of 14-17 kDa is stimulated by the auxin herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). The other is larger and unaffected by 2,4-D. The 2,4-D-stimulated activity absolutely requires 2,4-D for activity and exhibits a period length of about 24 min. Also exhibiting 24-min oscillations is the rate of cell enlargement induced by the addition of 2,4-D or the natural auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Immediately following 2,4-D or IAA addition, a very complex pattern of oscillations is frequently observed. However, after several hours a dominant 24-min period emerges at the expense of the constitutive activity. A recruitment process analogous to that exhibited by prions is postulated to explain this behavior.

Plasmamembrane redox system (PMRS) is an electron transport chain system ubiquitously present throughout all cell types. It transfers electron from intracellular substrates to extracellular acceptors for regulation of redox status. Curcumin, isolated from Curcuma longa, has modulatory effects on cellular physiology due to its membrane interaction ability and antioxidant potential. The present study investigates the effect of curcumin on PMRS activity of erythrocytes isolated from Wistar rats in vitro and in vivo and validated through an in silico docking simulation study using Molegro Virtual Docker (MVD). Effects of curcumin were also evaluated on level of glutathione (GSH) and the oxidant potential of plasma measured in terms of plasma ferric equivalent oxidative potentials (PFEOP). Results show that curcumin significantly (p < 0.01) downregulated the PMRS activity in a dose-dependent manner. Molecular docking results suggest that curcumin interacts with amino acids at the active site cavity of cytochrome b5 reductase, a key constituent of PMRS. Curcumin also increased the GSH level in erythrocytes and plasma while simultaneously decreasing the oxidant potential (PFEOP) of plasma. Altered PMRS activity and redox status are associated with the pathophysiology of several health complications including aging and diabetes; hence, the above finding may explain part of the role of curcumin in health beneficial effects. PMID:26904287

Plasmamembrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs) are one subfamily of aquaporins that mediate the transmembrane transport of water. To reveal their function in poplar, we generated transgenic poplar plants in which the translation of PIP genes was downregulated by RNA interference investigated these plants with a comprehensive leaf plasmamembrane proteome and physiome analysis. First, inhibition of PIP synthesis strongly altered the leaf plasmamembrane protein composition. Strikingly, several signaling components and transporters involved in the regulation of stomatal movement were differentially regulated in transgenic poplars. Furthermore, hormonal crosstalk related to abscisic acid, auxin and brassinosteroids was altered, in addition to cell wall biosynthesis/cutinization, the organization of cellular structures and membrane trafficking. A physiological analysis confirmed the proteomic results. The leaves had wider opened stomata and higher net CO2 assimilation and transpiration rates as well as greater mesophyll conductance for CO2 (gm) and leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf). Based on these results, we conclude that PIP proteins not only play essential roles in whole leaf water and CO2 flux but have important roles in the regulation of stomatal movement. PMID:26248320

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This study presents a fluorescence-based assay that allows for direct measurement of protein binding to the plasmamembrane inside living cells. An axial scan through the cell generates a fluorescence intensity profile that is analyzed to determine the membrane-bound and cytoplasmic concentrations of a peripheral membrane protein labeled by the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). The membrane binding curve is constructed by mapping those concentrations for a population of cells with a wide range of protein expression levels, and a fit of the binding curve determines the number of binding sites and the dissociation coefficient. We experimentally verified the technique, using myosin-1C-EGFP as a model system and fit its binding curve. Furthermore, we studied the protein-lipid interactions of the membrane binding domains from lactadherin and phospholipase C-δ1 to evaluate the feasibility of using competition binding experiments to identify specific lipid-protein interactions in living cells. Finally, we applied the technique to determine the lipid specificity, the number of binding sites, and the dissociation coefficient of membrane binding for the Gag matrix domain of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1, which provides insight into early assembly steps of the retrovirus. PMID:26039166

The composition and characteristics of b-type cytochromes from higher plant plasmamembranes, purified using aqueous two-phase partitioning, were investigated. At least three different cytochromes were identified by their wavelength maxima and redox midpoint potentials (E0′). Cytochrome b-560.7 (E0′ from + 110 to + 160 millivolts) was present in zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) hypocotyls and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) hooks, although in different concentrations. The main component in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L.) inflorescences (cytochrome b-558.8) is probably functionally similar to this cytochrome. The plasmamembrane generally contains two to three cytochrome species. However, the occurrence and concentrations were species dependent. The high potential cytochrome can be reduced by ascorbate but not NADH, and may be involved in blue light perception. PMID:16666854

Gangliosides, complex glycosphingolipids containing sialic acids, are synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum and in the Golgi complex. These neobiosynthesized gangliosides move via vesicular transport to the plasmamembrane, becoming components of the external leaflet. Gangliosides can undergo endocytosis followed by recycling to the cell surface or sorting to the Golgi complex or lysosomes for remodeling and catabolism. Recently, glycosphingolipid catabolic enzymes (glycohydrolases) have been found to be associated with the plasmamembrane, where they display activity on the membrane components. In this work, we demonstrated that ecto-ganglioside glycosyltransferases may catalyze ganglioside synthesis outside the Golgi compartment, particularly at the cell surface. Specifically, we report the first direct evidence of expression and activity of CMP-NeuAc:GM3 sialyltransferase (Sial-T2) at the cell surface of epithelial and melanoma cells, with membrane-integrated ecto-Sial-T2 being able to sialylate endogenously synthesized GM3 ganglioside as well as exogenously incorporated substrate. Interestingly, we also showed that ecto-Sial-T2 was able to synthesize GD3 ganglioside at the cell surface using the endogenously synthesized cytidine monophospho-N-acetylneuraminic acid (CMP-NeuAc) available at the extracellular milieu. In addition, the expression of UDP-GalNAc:LacCer/GM3/GD3 N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (GalNAc-T) was also detected at the cell surface of epithelial cells, whose catalytic activity was only observed after feeding the cells with exogenous GM3 substrate. Thus, the relative interplay between the plasmamembrane-associated glycosyltransferase and glycohydrolase activities, even when acting on a common substrate, emerges as a potential level of regulation of the local glycosphingolipid composition in response to different external and internal stimuli. PMID:20639193

At the moment, many models on T cell signaling rely on results obtained via rather indirect methodologies, which makes direct comparison and conclusions to the in vivo situation difficult. Recently, a variety of new imaging methods were developed, which have the potential to directly shed light onto the mysteries of protein association at the T cell membrane. While the new modalities are extremely promising, for a broad readership it may be difficult to judge the results, since technological shortcomings are not always obvious. In this review article, we put key questions on the mechanism of protein interactions in the T cell plasmamembrane into relation with techniques that allow to address such questions. We discuss applicability of the techniques, their strengths and weaknesses. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Nanoscale membrane organisation and signalling. PMID:25300585

Most drugs acting on the cell surface receptors are membrane permeable and thus able to engage their target proteins in different subcellular compartments. However, these drugs' effects on cell surface receptors have historically been studied on the plasmamembrane alone. Increasing evidence suggests that small molecules may also modulate their targeted receptors through membrane trafficking or organelle-localized signaling inside the cell. These additional modes of interaction have been reported for functionally diverse ligands of GPCRs, ion channels, and transporters. Such intracellular drug-target engagements affect cell surface expression. Concurrent intracellular and cell surface signaling may also increase the complexity and therapeutic opportunities of small molecule modulation. Here we discuss examples of ligand-receptor interactions that are present in both intra- and extracellular sites, and the potential therapeutic opportunities presented by this phenomenon. PMID:23685953

Direct delivery of cytokines using nanocarriers holds great promise for cancer therapy. However, the nanometric scale of the vehicles made them susceptible to size-dependent endocytosis, reducing the plasmamembrane-associated apoptosis signaling. Herein, we report a tumor microenvironment-responsive and transformable nanocarrier for cell membrane targeted delivery of cytokine. This formulation is comprised of a phospholipase A2 (PLA2) degradable liposome as a shell, and complementary DNA nanostructures (designated as nanoclews) decorated with cytokines as the cores. Utilizing the tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) as a model cytokine, we demonstrate that the TRAIL loaded DNA nanoclews are capable of transforming into nanofibers after PLA2 activation. The nanofibers with micro-scaled lengths efficiently present the loaded TRAIL to death receptors on the cancer cell membrane and amplified the apoptotic signaling with reduced TRAIL internalization. PMID:27131597

Muscle plays a major role in metabolism. Thus it is a major glucose-utilizing tissue in the absorptive state, and changes in muscle insulin-stimulated glucose uptake alter whole-body glucose disposal. In some conditions, muscle preferentially uses lipid substrates, such as fatty acids or ketone bodies. Furthermore, muscle is the main reservoir of amino acids and protein. The activity of many different plasmamembrane transporters, such as glucose carriers and transporters of carnitine, creatine and amino acids, play a crucial role in muscle metabolism by catalysing the influx or the efflux of substrates across the cell surface. In some cases, the membrane transport process is subjected to intense regulatory control and may become a potential pharmacological target, as is the case with the glucose transporter GLUT4. The goal of this review is the molecular characterization of muscle membrane transporter proteins, as well as the analysis of their possible regulatory role. PMID:10903126

Phosphatidylinositol monophosphate (PIP) and phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate (PIP/sub 2/) were found to be associated with the plasmamembrane-rich fractions isolated by aqueous polymer two-phase partitioning from fusogenic cells. They represented at least 5% and 0.7% of the total inositol-labeled lipids in the plasmamembrane-rich fractions, respectively, and were present in a ratio of about 7:1 (PIP:PIP/sub 2/). In addition, two unidentified inositol-labeled compounds, which together were approximately 3% of the inositol-labeled lipids, were found predominantly in the plasmamembrane-rich fractions and migrated between PIP/sub 2/ and PIP. The R/sub f/s of these compounds were approximately 0.31 and 0.34 in the solvent system CHCl/sub 3/:MeOH:15N NH/sub 4/OH:H/sub 2/O (90:90:7:22) using LK5 plates presoaked in 1% potassium oxalate. These compounds incorporated /sup 32/P/sub i/, (/sup 3/H)inositol and were hydrolyzed in mild base. These data suggested that they were glycero-phospholipids. Although the compounds did not comigrate with lysoPIP obtained from bovine brain (R/sub f/ approx. 0.35), when endogenous PIP was hydrolyzed to lysoPIP, the breakdown product migrated in the region of the unidentified inositol lipids.

Background: Dysferlin is a sarcolemmal protein that is defective in Miyoshi myopathy and limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2B, and is involved in sarcolemmal repair. Primary cultured myoblasts and myotubes established from patient muscle biopsies have been widely utilized to explore the molecular mechanism of dysferlinopathy. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the possible utility of dermal fibroblasts from dysferlin-deficient patients and SJL mice as a tool for studying dysferlinopathy. Methods: Dysferlin protein expression in fibroblasts from dysferlin-deficient patients and SJL mice was analyzed by immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry. The membrane wound-repair assay was performed on the fibroblasts using a confocal microscope equipped with a UV-laser. The membrane blebbing assay using hypotonic shock, in which normal membrane blebbing is detected only in the presence of dysferlin, was also performed using human and mouse fibroblasts. Results: Mis-sense mutated dysferlin was expressed at a very low level in fibroblasts from a dysferlinopathy patient, and lower expression level of truncated dysferlin was observed in SJL mouse fibroblast. Fibroblasts from patients with dysferlinopathy and SJL mice showed attenuated membrane repair and did not form membrane blebs in response to hypoosmotic shock. Proteosomal inhibitior increased mis-sense mutated or truncated dysferlin levels, and restored membrane blebbing, however, proteosomal inhibition failed to improve levels of dysferlin with non-sense or frame-shift mutation. Conclusion: Fibroblasts from dysferlinopathy patients and SJL mice showed attenuated plasmamembrane repair, and could be a tool for studying dysferlinopathy. PMID:26579332

Plant plasmamembrane H(+)-ATPase acts as a primary transporter via proton pumping and regulates diverse physiological responses by controlling secondary solute transport, pH homeostasis, and membrane potential. Phosphorylation of the penultimate threonine and the subsequent binding of 14-3-3 proteins in the carboxyl terminus of the enzyme are required for H(+)-ATPase activation. We showed previously that photosynthesis induces phosphorylation of the penultimate threonine in the nonvascular bryophyte Marchantia polymorpha However, (1) whether this response is conserved in vascular plants and (2) the process by which photosynthesis regulates H(+)-ATPase phosphorylation at the plasmamembrane remain unresolved issues. Here, we report that photosynthesis induced the phosphorylation and activation of H(+)-ATPase in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) leaves via sugar accumulation. Light reversibly phosphorylated leaf H(+)-ATPase, and this process was inhibited by pharmacological and genetic suppression of photosynthesis. Immunohistochemical and biochemical analyses indicated that light-induced phosphorylation of H(+)-ATPase occurred autonomously in mesophyll cells. We also show that the phosphorylation status of H(+)-ATPase and photosynthetic sugar accumulation in leaves were positively correlated and that sugar treatment promoted phosphorylation. Furthermore, light-induced phosphorylation of H(+)-ATPase was strongly suppressed in a double mutant defective in ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and triose phosphate/phosphate translocator (adg1-1 tpt-2); these mutations strongly inhibited endogenous sugar accumulation. Overall, we show that photosynthesis activated H(+)-ATPase via sugar production in the mesophyll cells of vascular plants. Our work provides new insight into signaling from chloroplasts to the plasmamembrane ion transport mechanism. PMID:27016447

At least two isoenzymes of sphingomyelinase (sphingomyelin cholinephosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.4.12), including lysosomal acid sphingomyelinase and nonlysosomal magnesium-dependent neutral sphingomyelinase, catalyse the degradation of sphingomyelin in cultured human skin fibroblasts. A genetically determined disorder of sphingomyelin metabolism, type A Niemann-Pick disease, is characterized by a deficiency of lysosomal acid sphingomyelinase. To investigate the involvement of lysosomes in the degradation of cellular membrane sphingomyelin, we have undertaken studies to compare the turnover of plasmamembrane sphingomyelin in fibroblasts from a patient with type A Niemann-Pick disease, which completely lack acid sphingomyelinase activity but retain nonlysosomal neutral sphingomyelinase activity, with turnover in fibroblasts from normal individuals. Plasmamembrane sphingomyelin was labeled by incubating cells at low temperature with phosphatidylcholine vesicles containing radioactive sphingomyelin. A fluorescent analog of sphingomyelin, N-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazoleaminocaproyl sphingosylphosphorylcholine (NBD-sphingomyelin) is seen to be readily transferred at low temperature from phosphatidylcholine liposomes to the plasmamembranes of cultured human fibroblasts. Moreover, when kinetic studies were done in parallel, a constant ratio of [14C]oleoylsphingosylphosphorylcholine ( [14C]sphingomyelin) to NBD-sphingomyelin was taken up at low temperature by the fibroblast cells, suggesting that [14C]sphingomyelin undergoes a similar transfer. The comparison of sphingomyelin turnover at 37 degrees C in normal fibroblasts compared to Niemann-Pick diseased fibroblasts shows that a rapid turnover of plasmamembrane-associated sphingomyelin within the first 30 min appears to be similar in both normal and Niemann-Pick diseased cells. This rapid turnover appears to be primarily due to rapid removal of the [14C]sphingomyelin from the cell surface into the incubation medium. During

Rapid plasmamembrane repair is essential to restore cellular homeostasis and improve cell survival after injury. Several mechanisms for plasmamembrane repair have been proposed, including formation of an intracellular vesicle patch, reduction of plasmamembrane tension, lesion removal by endocytosis, and/or shedding of the wounded membrane. Under all conditions studied to date, plasmamembrane repair is strictly dependent on the entry of calcium into cells, from the extracellular medium. Calcium-dependent exocytosis of lysosomes is an important early step in the plasmamembrane repair process, and defects in plasmamembrane repair have been observed in cells carrying mutations responsible for serious lysosomal diseases, such as Chediak–Higashi (Huynh, Roth, Ward, Kaplan, & Andrews, 2004) and Niemann–Pick Disease type A (Tam et al., 2010). A functional role for release of the lysosomal enzyme acid sphingomyelinase, which generates ceramide on the cell surface and triggers endocytosis, has been described (Corrotte et al., 2013; Tam et al., 2010). Therefore, procedures for measuring the extent of lysosomal fusion with the plasmamembrane of wounded cells are important indicators of the cellular repair response. The importance of carefully selecting the methodology for experimental plasmamembrane injury, in order not to adversely impact the membrane repair machinery, is becoming increasingly apparent. Here, we describe physiologically relevant methods to induce different types of cellular wounds, and sensitive assays to measure the ability of cells to secrete lysosomes and reseal their plasmamembrane. PMID:25665445

Plasmamembranes with a 17 fold enrichment in 5'-nucleotidase over homogenate were prepared from antral smooth muscle. A specific gastrin receptor on the plasmamembranes has been demonstrated. By Scatchard analysis receptor has a Kaff of 2x10(9)M(-1) and a binding capacity of 5x10(-14) moles/mg of membrane protein. PMID:15625862

The function of primary cilia depends critically on the localization of specific proteins in the ciliary membrane. A major challenge in the field is to understand protein trafficking to cilia. The Hedgehog (Hh) pathway protein Smoothened (Smo), a 7-pass transmembrane protein, moves to cilia when a ligand is received. Using microscopy-based pulse-chase analysis, we find that Smo moves through a lateral transport pathway from the plasmamembrane to the ciliary membrane. Lateral movement, either via diffusion or active transport, is quite distinct from currently studied pathways of ciliary protein transport in mammals, which emphasize directed trafficking of Golgi-derived vesicles to the base of the cilium. We anticipate that this alternative route will be used by other signaling proteins that function at cilia. The path taken by Smo may allow novel strategies for modulation of Hh signaling in cancer and regeneration. PMID:19948480

Our goal is to provide a mechanistic understanding of the cellular and molecular aspects of freezing injury and cold acclimation from a perspective of the structural and functional integrity of the plasmamembrane -- the primary site of freezing injury in winter cereals. We have utilized protoplasts isolated from leaves of winter rye (Secale cereale L. cv Puma) to study the cryobehavior of the plasmamembrane during a freeze/thaw cycle. The focus of our current studies is on lesions in the plasmamembrane that result from severe freeze-induced dehydration and result in the alteration of the semipermeable characteristics of the plasmamembrane so that the protoplasts are osmotically unresponsive. In protoplasts isolated from non-acclimated rye leaves (NA protoplasts), injury is associated with the formation of aparticulate domains in the plasmamembrane, aparticulate lamellae subtending the plasmamembrane, and lamellar-to-hexagonal II phase transitions in the plasmamembrane and the subtending lamellae. However, lamellar-to-hexagonal II phase transitions are not observed following severe dehydration of protoplasts isolated from cold-acclimated rye leaves (ACC protoplasts). Rather, injury is associated with the fracture-jump lesion,'' which, in freeze-fracture electron microscopy studies, is manifested as localized deviations in the fracture face of the plasmamembrane. The fracture plane jumps'' from the plasmamembrane to either subtending aparticulate lamellae or aparticulate regions of various endomembranes (predominantly chloroplast envelopes) that are in close apposition with the plasmamembrane.

It has been shown that inhibition of de novo sphingolipid synthesis increases insulin sensitivity. For further exploration of the mechanism involved, we utilized two models: heterozygous serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT) subunit 2 (Sptlc2) gene knockout mice and sphingomyelin synthase 2 (Sms2) gene knockout mice. SPT is the key enzyme in sphingolipid biosynthesis, and Sptlc2 is one of its subunits. Homozygous Sptlc2-deficient mice are embryonic lethal. However, heterozygous Sptlc2-deficient mice that were viable and without major developmental defects demonstrated decreased ceramide and sphingomyelin levels in the cell plasmamembranes, as well as heightened sensitivity to insulin. Moreover, these mutant mice were protected from high-fat diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance. SMS is the last enzyme for sphingomyelin biosynthesis, and SMS2 is one of its isoforms. Sms2 deficiency increased cell membrane ceramide but decreased SM levels. Sms2 deficiency also increased insulin sensitivity and ameliorated high-fat diet-induced obesity. We have concluded that Sptlc2 heterozygous deficiency- or Sms2 deficiency-mediated reduction of SM in the plasmamembranes leads to an improvement in tissue and whole-body insulin sensitivity. PMID:21844222

The hemocompatibility of polymethyl pentene (PMP) hollow fiber membranes (HFMs) was improved through surface modification for membrane oxygenator applications. The modification was performed stepwise with the following: (1) oxygen plasma treatment, (2) functionalization of monosort hydroxyl groups through NaBH4 reduction, and (3) grafting 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) or heparin. SEM, ATR-FTIR, and XPS analyses were conducted to confirm successful grafting during the modification. The hemocompatibility of PMP HFMs was analyzed and compared through protein adsorption, platelet adhesion, and coagulation tests. Pure CO2 and O2 permeation rates, as well as in vitro gas exchange rates, were determined to evaluate the mass transfer properties of PMP HFMs. SEM results showed that different nanofibril topographies were introduced on the HFM surface. ATR-FTIR and XPS spectra indicated the presence of functionalization of monosort hydroxyl group and the grafting of MPC and heparin. Hemocompatibility evaluation results showed that the modified PMP HFMs presented optimal hemocompatibility compared with pristine HFMs. Gas permeation results revealed that gas permeation flux increased in the modified HFMs because of dense surface etching during the plasma treatment. The results of in vitro gas exchange rates showed that all modified PMP HFMs presented decreased gas exchange rates because of potential surface fluid wetting. The proposed strategy exhibits a potential for fabricating membrane oxygenators for biomedical applications to prevent coagulation formation and alter plasma-induced surface topology and composition.

The plasmamembrane H(+)-ATPase of Neurospora has been reconstituted into planar lipid bilayer membranes by means of the vesicle-fusion technique described by Finkelstein and his collaborators (Zimmerberg et al., 1980; Cohen et al., 1980, 1984; Akabas et al., 1984). Enzyme was first transferred from isolated plasmamembrane fragments into asolectin vesicles by a detergent-dialysis procedure (Perlin et al., 1984). After H(+)-pumping activity had been checked by quenching of acridine orange fluorescence, the vesicles were fused into performed bilayers. Critical features of the fusion process include (i) attachment of the vesicles to the bilayer in the presence of divalent cations (Mg++), and (ii) rapid osmotic swelling, which was enhanced by prior sonication or freeze-thawing of the vesicles, and/or by inclusions of physiologic channels. Enough proton pumps could be thus incorporated into bilayers to achieve ATP-driven, vanadate-sensitive currents of 0.04-0.4 pA. Aqueous solutions of low ionic strength were used to suppress conductance fluctuations due to the channels, and when that precaution was taken, we could demonstrate the proton pump the work against membrane potentials of at least 50 mV. PMID:8181690

A solid polymer electrolyte composite membrane and method of manufacturing the same. According to one embodiment, the composite membrane comprises a rigid, non-electrically-conducting support, the support preferably being a sheet of polyimide having a thickness of about 7.5 to 15 microns. The support has a plurality of cylindrical pores extending perpendicularly between opposing top and bottom surfaces of the support. The pores, which preferably have a diameter of about 0.1 to 5 microns, are made by plasma etching and preferably are arranged in a defined pattern, for example, with fewer pores located in areas of high membrane stress and more pores located in areas of low membrane stress. The pores are filled with a first solid polymer electrolyte, such as a perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) polymer. A second solid polymer electrolyte, which may be the same as or different than the first solid polymer electrolyte, may be deposited over the top and/or bottom of the first solid polymer electrolyte.

The kinetic properties of barley enzyme are discussed and compared with those of other plants. Possibilities for calcium transport in the plasmamembrane by proton pump and ATPase-dependent calcium pumps are explored. Topics covered include the ph phase of the enzyme; high affinity of barley for calcium; temperature dependence, activation enthalpy, and the types of ATPase catalytic sites. Attention is given to lipids which are both screened and bound by calcium. Studies show that barley has a calmodulin activated ATPase that is found in the presence of magnesium and calcium.

This project focuses on lesions in the plasmamembrane of protoplasts that occur during freezing to temperatures below {minus}5{degrees} which result in changes in the semipermeablity of the plasmamembrane. This injury, referred to as loss of osmotic responsiveness, is associated with the formation of large, aparticulate domains in the plasmamembrane, aparticulate lamellae subtending the plasmamembrane, and lamellar-to-hexagonal{sub II} phase transitions in the plasmamembrane and subtending lamellar. The goals of this project are to provide a mechanistic understanding of the mechanism by which freeze-induced dehydration effects the formation of aparticulate domains and lamellar-to-hexagonal{sub II} phase transitions and to determine the mechanisms by which cold acclimation and cryoprotectants preclude or diminish these ultrastructural changes. Our working hypothesis is the formation of aparticulate domains and lamellar-to-hexagon{sub II} phase transitions in the plasmamembrane and subtending lamellae are manifestations of hydration-dependent bilayer-bilayer interactions.

As a consequence of their poor solubility during isoelectric focusing, integral membrane proteins are generally absent from two-dimensional gel proteome maps. In order to analyze the yeast plasmamembrane proteome, a plasmamembrane purification protocol was optimized in order to reduce contaminating membranes and cytosolic proteins. Specifically, the new fractionation scheme largely depleted the plasmamembrane fraction of cytosolic proteins by deoxycholate stripping and ribosomal proteins by sucrose gradient flotation. The plasmamembrane complement was resolved by two-dimensional electrophoresis using the cationic detergent cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide in the first, and sodium dodecyl sulfate in the second dimension, and fifty spots were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectometry. In spite of the presence of still contaminating ribosomal proteins, major proteins corresponded to known plasmamembrane residents, the ABC transporters Pdr5p and Snq2p, the P-type H(+)-ATPase Pma1p, the glucose transporter Hxt7p, the seven transmembrane-span Mrh1p, the low affinity Fe(++) transporter Fet4p, the twelve-span Ptr2p, and the plasmamembrane anchored casein kinase Yck2p. The four transmembrane-span proteins Sur7p and Nce102p were also present in the isolated plasmamembranes, as well as the unknown protein Ygr266wp that probably contains a single transmembrane span. Thus, combining subcellular fractionation with adapted two-dimensional electrophoresis resulted in the identification of intrinsic plasmamembrane proteins. PMID:12469340

ABSTRACT Junctions between cortical endoplasmic reticulum (cER) and the plasmamembrane are a subtle but ubiquitous feature in mammalian cells; however, very little is known about the functions and molecular interactions that are associated with neuronal ER–plasma-membrane junctions. Here, we report that Kv2.1 (also known as KCNB1), the primary delayed-rectifier K+ channel in the mammalian brain, induces the formation of ER–plasma-membrane junctions. Kv2.1 localizes to dense, cell-surface clusters that contain non-conducting channels, indicating that they have a function that is unrelated to membrane-potential regulation. Accordingly, Kv2.1 clusters function as membrane-trafficking hubs, providing platforms for delivery and retrieval of multiple membrane proteins. Using both total internal reflection fluorescence and electron microscopy we demonstrate that the clustered Kv2.1 plays a direct structural role in the induction of stable ER–plasma-membrane junctions in both transfected HEK 293 cells and cultured hippocampal neurons. Glutamate exposure results in a loss of Kv2.1 clusters in neurons and subsequent retraction of the cER from the plasmamembrane. We propose Kv2.1-induced ER–plasma-membrane junctions represent a new macromolecular plasma-membrane complex that is sensitive to excitotoxic insult and functions as a scaffolding site for both membrane trafficking and Ca2+ signaling. PMID:25908859

Junctions between cortical endoplasmic reticulum (cER) and the plasmamembrane are a subtle but ubiquitous feature in mammalian cells; however, very little is known about the functions and molecular interactions that are associated with neuronal ER-plasma-membrane junctions. Here, we report that Kv2.1 (also known as KCNB1), the primary delayed-rectifier K(+) channel in the mammalian brain, induces the formation of ER-plasma-membrane junctions. Kv2.1 localizes to dense, cell-surface clusters that contain non-conducting channels, indicating that they have a function that is unrelated to membrane-potential regulation. Accordingly, Kv2.1 clusters function as membrane-trafficking hubs, providing platforms for delivery and retrieval of multiple membrane proteins. Using both total internal reflection fluorescence and electron microscopy we demonstrate that the clustered Kv2.1 plays a direct structural role in the induction of stable ER-plasma-membrane junctions in both transfected HEK 293 cells and cultured hippocampal neurons. Glutamate exposure results in a loss of Kv2.1 clusters in neurons and subsequent retraction of the cER from the plasmamembrane. We propose Kv2.1-induced ER-plasma-membrane junctions represent a new macromolecular plasma-membrane complex that is sensitive to excitotoxic insult and functions as a scaffolding site for both membrane trafficking and Ca(2+) signaling. PMID:25908859

Amino acid permeases (AAPs) in the plasmamembrane (PM) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are responsible for the uptake of amino acids and involved in regulation of their cellular levels. Here, we report on a strong and complex module for PM association found in the C-terminal tail of AAPs. Using in silico analyses and mutational studies we found that the C-terminal sequences of Gap1, Bap2, Hip1, Tat1, Tat2, Mmp1, Sam3, Agp1, and Gnp1 are about 50 residues long, associate with the PM, and have features that discriminate them from the termini of organellar amino acid transporters. We show that this sequence (named PMasseq) contains an amphipathic α-helix and the FWC signature, which is palmitoylated by palmitoyltransferase Pfa4. Variations of PMasseq, found in different AAPs, lead to different mobilities and localization patterns, whereas the disruption of the sequence has an adverse effect on cell viability. We propose that PMasseq modulates the function and localization of AAPs along the PM. PMasseq is one of the most complex protein signals for plasmamembrane association across species and can be used as a delivery vehicle for the PM. PMID:27226538

Thyroid hormones (TH) cross the plasmamembrane with the help of transporter proteins. As charged amino acid derivatives, TH cannot simply diffuse across a lipid bilayer membrane, despite their notorious hydrophobicity. The identification of monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8, SLC16A2) as a specific and very active TH transporter paved the way to the finding that mutations in the MCT8 gene cause a syndrome of psychomotor retardation in humans. The purpose of this review is to introduce the current model of transmembrane transport and highlight the diversity of TH transmembrane transporters. The interactions of TH with plasma transfer proteins, T3 receptors, and deiodinase are summarized. It is shown that proteins may bind TH owing to their hydrophobic character in hydrophobic cavities and/or by specific polar interaction with the phenolic hydroxyl, the aminopropionic acid moiety, and by weak polar interactions with the iodine atoms. These findings are compared with our understanding of how TH transporters interact with substrate. The presumed effects of mutations in MCT8 on protein folding and transport function are explained in light of the available homology model. PMID:25538896

This chapter covers the functionally characterized plasmamembrane carboxylic acids transporters Jen1, Ady2, Fps1 and Pdr12 in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, addressing also their homologues in other microorganisms, as filamentous fungi and bacteria. Carboxylic acids can either be transported into the cells, to be used as nutrients, or extruded in response to acid stress conditions. The secondary active transporters Jen1 and Ady2 can mediate the uptake of the anionic form of these substrates by a H(+)-symport mechanism. The undissociated form of carboxylic acids is lipid-soluble, crossing the plasmamembrane by simple diffusion. Furthermore, acetic acid can also be transported by facilitated diffusion via Fps1 channel. At the cytoplasmic physiological pH, the anionic form of the acid prevails and it can be exported by the Pdr12 pump. This review will highlight the mechanisms involving carboxylic acids transporters, and the way they operate according to the yeast cell response to environmental changes, as carbon source availability, extracellular pH and acid stress conditions. PMID:26721276

The general features of [14C]spermidine binding to plasmalemma vesicles isolated from zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) etiolated hypocotyls are reported in the present paper. The specific interaction of the polyamine with the plasmamembranes was reversible and thermolabile, since it decreased by about 50% in the assay performed at 40[deg]C compared to that carried out on ice. On the contrary, nonspecific binding was unaffected by temperature. Specific spermidine binding showed a pH dependence with a maximum at pH 8.0 and it reached saturation between 0.75 and 1 mM external spermidine concentration. The value of the dissociation constant calculated from Scatchard analysis was 4.4 x 10-5 M. Specific spermidine interaction appeared to be sensitive to detergents and was markedly reduced by the presence of divalent cations, such as Mg2+ and Ca2+, whereas it was stimulated by monovalent cations. Polyamine binding sites were highly sensitive to pronase treatment. Competition experiments, performed using a series of compounds structurally related to spermidine, may provide some indication of the characteristics of spermidine binding sites. The results presented here suggest that specific spermidine binding occurs mainly with the protein component of the plasmamembrane. PMID:12226221

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) forms membrane contact sites (MCS) with most other cellular organelles and the plasmamembrane (PM). These ER-PM MCS, where the membranes of the ER and PM are closely apposed, were discovered in the early days of electron microscopy (EM), but only recently are we starting to understand their functional and structural diversity. ER-PM MCS are nowadays known to mediate excitation-contraction coupling (ECC) in striated muscle cells and to play crucial roles in Ca(2+)and lipid homoeostasis in all metazoan cells. A common feature across ER-PM MCS specialized in different functions is the preponderance of cooperative phenomena that result in the formation of large supramolecular assemblies. Therefore, characterizing the supramolecular architecture of ER-PM MCS is critical to understand their mechanisms of function. Cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) is a powerful EM technique uniquely positioned to address this issue, as it allows 3D imaging of fully hydrated, unstained cellular structures at molecular resolution. In this review I summarize our current structural knowledge on the molecular organization of ER-PM MCS and its functional implications, with special emphasis on the emerging contributions of cryo-ET. PMID:27068966

Five pathogenic Candida species were compared in terms of their osmotolerance, tolerance to toxic sodium and lithium cations, and resistance to fluconazole. The species not only differed, in general, in their tolerance to high osmotic pressure (C. albicans and C. parapsilosis being the most osmotolerant) but exhibited distinct sensitivities to toxic sodium and lithium cations, with C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis being very tolerant but C. krusei and C. dubliniensis sensitive to LiCl. The treatment of both fluconazole-susceptible (C. albicans and C. parapsilosis) and fluconazole-resistant (C. dubliniensis, C. krusei and C. tropicalis) growing cells with subinhibitory concentrations of fluconazole resulted in substantially elevated intracellular Na(+) levels. Using a diS-C3(3) assay, for the first time, to monitor the relative membrane potential (ΔΨ) of Candida cells, we show that the fluconazole treatment of growing cells of all five species results in a substantial hyperpolarization of their plasmamembranes, which is responsible for an increased non-specific transport of toxic alkali metal cations and other cationic drugs (e.g., hygromycin B). Thus, the combination of relatively low doses of fluconazole and drugs, whose import into the tested Candida strains is driven by the cell membrane potential, might be especially potent in terms of its ability to inhibit the growth of or even kill various Candida species. PMID:23547882

Studying protein diffusion informs us about how proteins interact with their environment. Work on protein diffusion over the last several decades has illustrated the complex nature of biological lipid bilayers. The plasmamembrane contains an array of membrane-spanning proteins or proteins with peripheral membrane associations. Maintenance of plasmamembrane microstructure can be via physical features that provide intrinsic ordering such as lipid microdomains, or from membrane-associated structures such as the cytoskeleton. Recent evidence indicates, that in the case of plant cells, the cell wall seems to be a major player in maintaining plasmamembrane microstructure. This interconnection / interaction between cell-wall and plasmamembrane proteins most likely plays an important role in signal transduction, cell growth, and cell physiological responses to the environment. PMID:24381579

Neuronal exocytotic membrane fusion occurs on a fast timescale and is dependent on interactions between the vesicle SNARE synaptobrevin-2 and the plasmamembrane SNAREs syntaxin-1a and SNAP-25 with a 1:1:1 stoichiometry. Reproducing fast fusion rates as observed in cells by reconstitution in vitro has been hindered by the spontaneous assembly of a 2:1 syntaxin-1a:SNAP-25 complex on target membranes that kinetically alters the binding of synaptobrevin-2. Previously, an artificial SNARE acceptor complex consisting of 1:1:1 syntaxin-1a(residues 183-288):SNAP-25:syb(residues 49-96) was found to greatly accelerate the rates of lipid mixing of reconstituted target and vesicle SNARE proteoliposomes. Here we present two (to our knowledge) new procedures to assemble membrane-bound 1:1 SNARE acceptor complexes that produce fast and efficient fusion without the need of the syb(49-96) peptide. In the first procedure, syntaxin-1a is purified in a strictly monomeric form and subsequently assembled with SNAP-25 in detergent with the correct 1:1 stoichiometry. In the second procedure, monomeric syntaxin-1a and dodecylated (d-)SNAP-25 are separately reconstituted into proteoliposomes and subsequently assembled in the plane of merged target lipid bilayers. Examining single particle fusion between synaptobrevin-2 proteoliposomes and planar-supported bilayers containing the two different SNARE acceptor complexes revealed similar fast rates of fusion. Changing the stoichiometry of syntaxin-1a and d-SNAP-25 in the target bilayer had significant effects on docking, but little effect on the rates of synaptobrevin-2 proteoliposome fusion. PMID:27178662

During oxygenic photosynthesis in cyanobacteria and chloroplasts of plants and eukaryotic algae, conversion of light energy to biologically useful chemical energy occurs in the specialized thylakoid membranes. Light-induced charge separation at the reaction centers of photosystems I and II, two multisubunit pigment-protein complexes in the thylakoid membranes, energetically drive sequential photosynthetic electron transfer reactions in this membrane system. In general, in the prokaryotic cyanobacterial cells, the thylakoid membrane is distinctly different from the plasmamembrane. We have recently developed a two-dimensional separation procedure to purify thylakoid and plasmamembranes from the genetically widely studied cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Immunoblotting analysis demonstrated that the purified plasmamembrane contained a number of protein components closely associated with the reaction centers of both photosystems. Moreover, these proteins were assembled in the plasmamembrane as chlorophyll-containing multiprotein complexes, as evidenced from nondenaturing green gel and low-temperature fluorescence spectroscopy data. Furthermore, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic analysis showed that in the partially assembled photosystem I core complex in the plasmamembrane, the P700 reaction center was capable of undergoing light-induced charge separation. Based on these data, we propose that the plasmamembrane, and not the thylakoid membrane, is the site for a number of the early steps of biogenesis of the photosynthetic reaction center complexes in these cyanobacterial cells. PMID:11687660

Calcium is an ambivalent signal: it is essential for the correct functioning of cell life, but may also become dangerous to it. The plasmamembrane Ca2+ ATPase (PMCA) and the plasmamembrane Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) are the two mechanisms responsible for Ca2+ extrusion. The NCX has low Ca2+ affinity but high capacity for Ca2+ transport, whereas the PMCA has a high Ca2+ affinity but low transport capacity for it. Thus, traditionally, the PMCA pump has been attributed a housekeeping role in maintaining cytosolic Ca2+, and the NCX the dynamic role of counteracting large cytosolic Ca2+ variations (especially in excitable cells). This view of the roles of the two Ca2+ extrusion systems has been recently revised, as the specific functional properties of the numerous PMCA isoforms and splicing variants suggests that they may have evolved to cover both the basal Ca2+ regulation (in the 100 nM range) and the Ca2+ transients generated by cell stimulation (in the μM range). PMID:21421919

The present study aimed to develop an objective evaluation procedure to estimate the plasmamembrane integrity, acrosomal integrity, and mitochondrial membrane potential of bull spermatozoa simultaneously by flow cytometry. Firstly, we used frozen-thawed semen mixed with 0, 25, 50, 75 or 100% dead spermatozoa. Semen was stained using three staining solutions: SYBR-14, propidium iodide (PI), and phycoerythrin-conjugated peanut agglutinin (PE-PNA), for the evaluation of plasmamembrane integrity and acrosomal integrity. Then, characteristics evaluated by flow cytometry and by fluorescence microscopy were compared. Characteristics of spermatozoa (viability and acrosomal integrity) evaluated by flow cytometry and by fluorescence microscopy were found to be similar. Secondly, we attempted to evaluate the plasmamembrane integrity, acrosomal integrity, and also mitochondrial membrane potential of spermatozoa by flow cytometry using conventional staining with three dyes (SYBR-14, PI, and PE-PNA) combined with MitoTracker Deep Red (MTDR) staining (quadruple staining). The spermatozoon characteristics evaluated by flow cytometry using quadruple staining were then compared with those of staining using SYBR-14, PI, and PE-PNA and staining using SYBR-14 and MTDR. There were no significant differences in all characteristics (viability, acrosomal integrity, and mitochondrial membrane potential) evaluated by quadruple staining and the other procedures. In conclusion, quadruple staining using SYBR-14, PI, PE-PNA, and MTDR for flow cytometry can be used to evaluate the plasmamembrane integrity, acrosomal integrity, and mitochondrial membrane potential of bovine spermatozoa simultaneously. PMID:26369275

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1. Rat isolated fat-cells were coated with rabbit anti-(rat erythrocyte) antibody and incubated with fresh guinea-pig serum for 25 min at 37 degrees C, which resulted in a more than 95% release of the cytosolic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase. 2. Under these conditions fragmentation of the plasmamembrane was examined by following the plasma-membrane markers 5'-nucleotidase, adrenaline-sensitive adenylate cyclase and membrane-bound rabbit immunoglobulin G through a differential-centrifugation fractionation procedure. 3. Approx. 50% of the plasma-membrane markers remained associated with triacylglycerol. Of the remainder more than half was pelleted by centrifugation at 10 000 g for 30 min. 4. The 10 000 g supernatant was fractionated by centrifugation on a sucrose density gradient (15-50%, w/w). This procedure resulted in the production of two visible white bands on the density gradient. The bands consisted of vesicles derived from the plasmamembrane, since they coincided with peaks of 5'-nucleotidase activity, contained membrane-bound immunoglobulin G and the denser one had adenylate cyclase activity. The phospholipid and protein contents of the vesicles were determined and compared with those in purified plasmamembrane. 5. It is suggested that complement-mediated lysis of rat fat-cells caused the production of plasma-membrane vesicles that differ in composition from the whole plasmamembrane. PMID:6249263

Understanding the adaptation of plants to acid rain is important to find feasible approaches to alleviate such damage to plants. We studied effects of acid rain on plasmamembrane H(+)-ATPase activity and transcription, intracellular H(+), membrane permeability, photosynthetic efficiency, and relative growth rate during stress and recovery periods. Simulated acid rain at pH 5.5 did not affect plasmamembrane H(+)-ATPase activity, intracellular H(+), membrane permeability, photosynthetic efficiency, and relative growth rate. Plasmamembrane H(+)-ATPase activity and transcription in leaves treated with acid rain at pH 3.5 was increased to maintain ion homeostasis by transporting excessive H(+) out of cells. Then intracellular H(+) was close to the control after a 5-day recovery, alleviating damage on membrane and sustaining photosynthetic efficiency and growth. Simulated acid rain at pH 2.5 inhibited plasmamembrane H(+)-ATPase activity by decreasing the expression of H(+)-ATPase at transcription level, resulting in membrane damage and abnormal intracellular H(+), and reduction in photosynthetic efficiency and relative growth rate. After a 5-day recovery, all parameters in leaves treated with pH 2.5 acid rain show alleviated damage, implying that the increased plasmamembrane H(+)-ATPase activity and its high expression were involved in repairing process in acid rain-stressed plants. Our study suggests that plasmamembrane H(+)-ATPase can play a role in adaptation to acid rain for rice seedlings. PMID:25087500

Whole sheets of plasmamembrane, each with their attached flagellum, were purified from Trypanosoma brucei. The method devised for their isolation included a new technique of cell breakage that used a combination of osmotic stress followed by mechanical sheer and avoided the problem of extreme vesiculation as well as the trapping of organelles in cell 'ghosts'. The purified membranes all contained the pellicular microtubular array. The antigenic surface coat was completely released from the plasmamembrane during the isolation procedure. The membranes had a very high cholesterol/phospholipid ratio (1.54). A large proportion (42%) of the cellular DNA was recovered in the plasma-membrane fraction unless a step involving deoxyribonuclease treatment, which decreased the DNA content to less than 13%, was included before secrose-density gradient centrifugation. This step also aided the separation of plasmamembranes from other cellular components. The ouabain-sensitive Na+ + K+-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase and adenylate cyclase co-purified with the plasmamembranes. Although 5'-nucleotidase was thought to be a plasma-membrane component, it was easily detached from the membrane. The purified membranes were essentially free of L-alanine-alpha-oxoglutarate aminotransferase, L-asparte-alpha-oxoglutarate aminotransferase, malate dehydrogenase, oligomycin-sensitive adenosine triphosphatase, glucose 6-phosphatase, Mg2+-stimulated p-nitrophenyl phosphatase and catalase. PMID:486094

Rhodamine 640 (R640) was used to detect changes in boar sperm plasmamembrane protein (PMP) during cryopreservation; a poorly understood phenomenon. The protocol was adapted for boar sperm so that semen samples (n = 17) could be analyzed for PMP (R640 positive) and plasmamembrane integrity (PMI; Y...

In modern molecular endocrinology it is now possible to determine the localization of receptors for biologically active substances with the aid of ligands, with high affinity for the receptor, immobilized on polymers. The purpose of this paper is to study the ability of hydrocortisone (HC), immobilized on polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP-HC), to reduce binding of tritium-HC by thymocytes of adrenalectomized rats. It is determined that specific binding sites for HC on rat thymocytes are also accessible for PVP-HC, which, due to the fact that this immobilized version of HC does not penetrate into the cell, leads to the conclusion that the binding sites for HC itself are located in the plasmamembrane.

Eukaryotic organelles can interact with each other through stable junctions where the two membranes are kept in close apposition. The junction that connects the endoplasmic reticulum to the plasmamembrane (ER-PM junction) is unique in providing a direct communication link between the ER and the PM. In a recently discovered signaling process, STIM (stromal-interacting molecule) proteins sense a drop in ER Ca2+ levels and directly activate Orai PM Ca2+ channels across the junction space. In an inverse process, a voltage-gated PM Ca2+ channel can directly open ER ryanodine-receptor Ca2+ channels in striated-muscle cells. Although ER-PM junctions were first described 50 years ago, their broad importance in Ca2+ signaling, as well as in the regulation of cholesterol and phosphatidylinositol lipid transfer, has only recently been realized. Here, we discuss research from different fields to provide a broad perspective on the structures and unique roles of ER-PM junctions in controlling signaling and metabolic processes. PMID:21548779

The aim of this project was to identify the best method for the enrichment of plasmamembrane (PM) proteins for proteomics experiments. Following tryptic digestion and extended liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry acquisitions, data were processed using MaxQuant and Gene Ontology (GO) terms used to determine protein subcellular localization. The following techniques were examined for the total number and percentage purity of PM proteins identified: (a) whole cell lysate (total number, 84–112; percentage purity, 9–13%); (b) crude membrane preparation (104–111; 17–20%); (c) biotinylation of surface proteins with N-hydroxysulfosuccinimydyl-S,S-biotin and streptavidin pulldown (78–115; 27–31%); (d) biotinylation of surface glycoproteins with biocytin hydrazide and streptavidin pulldown (41–54; 59–85%); or (e) biotinylation of surface glycoproteins with amino-oxy-biotin (which labels the sialylated fraction of PM glycoproteins) and streptavidin pulldown (120; 65%). A two- to threefold increase in the overall number of proteins identified was achieved by using stop and go extraction tip (StageTip)-based anion exchange (SAX) fractionation. Combining technique (e) with SAX fractionation increased the number of proteins identified to 281 (54%). Analysis of GO terms describing these proteins identified a large subset of proteins integral to the membrane with no subcellular assignment. These are likely to be of PM location and bring the total PM protein identifications to 364 (68%). This study suggests that selective biotinylation of the cell surface using amino-oxy-biotin in combination with SAX fractionation is a useful method for identification of sialylated PM proteins. PMID:20808639

The effects of lipids on membrane proteins are likely to be complex and unique for each membrane protein. Here we studied different detergent/phosphatidylcholine reconstitution media and tested their effects on plasmamembrane Ca2+ pump (PMCA). We found that Ca2+-ATPase activity shows a biphasic behavior with respect to the detergent/phosphatidylcholine ratio. Moreover, the maximal Ca2+-ATPase activity largely depends on the length and the unsaturation degree of the hydrocarbon chain. Using static light scattering and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, we monitored the changes in hydrodynamic radius of detergent/phosphatidylcholine particles during the micelle-vesicle transition. We found that, when PMCA is reconstituted in mixed micelles, neutral phospholipids increase the enzyme turnover. The biophysical changes associated with the transition from mixed micelles to bicelles increase the time of residence of the phosphorylated intermediate (EP), decreasing the enzyme turnover. Molecular dynamics simulations analysis of the interactions between PMCA and the phospholipid bilayer in which it is embedded show that in the 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine bilayer, charged residues of the protein are trapped in the hydrophobic core. Conversely, in the 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine bilayer, the overall hydrophobic-hydrophilic requirements of the protein surface are fulfilled the best, reducing the thermodynamic cost of exposing charged residues to the hydrophobic core. The apparent mismatch produced by a 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine thicker bilayer could be a structural foundation to explain its functional effect on PMCA. PMID:25605721

Enlargement of the gingiva can be due to various causes. Most prevalent are the inflammatory type and drug-induced type of gingival hyperplasia. However, sever enlargement associated with an aggressive type of periodontitis is an infrequent finding. Reported here is a case of a female patient aged 18 years who presented with severe enlargement of the maxillary and mandibular gingiva. Examination revealed enlargement extending up to the incisal edge of all the teeth and also an associated generalized loss of attachment with radiographic evidence of reduced bone height resembling an aggressive type of periodontitis. There were no associated systemic signs and symptoms or any family history except that there was generalized vitiligo of the skin and oral mucous membrane. The case was treated by gross electrosection of the gingiva. PMID:23633785

We demonstrate the possibility of rapid mass-spectrometric determination of the content of anesthetic agents in blood plasma with the aid of a membrane-separator interface. The interface employs a hydrophobic selective membrane that is capable of separating various anesthetic drugs (including inhalation anesthetic sevofluran, noninhalation anesthetic thiopental, hypnotic propofol, and opioid analgesic fentanyl) from the blood plasma and introducing samples into a mass spectrometer. Analysis of the blood plasma was not accompanied by the memory effect and did not lead to membrane degradation. Results of clinical investigation of the concentration of anesthetics in the blood plasma of patients are presented.

Synaptic vesicle docking and exocytosis require the specific interaction of synaptic vesicle proteins (such as VAMP/synaptobrevin) with presynaptic plasmamembrane proteins (such as syntaxin and SNAP 25). These proteins form a stable, SDS-resistant, multimolecular complex, the SNARE complex. The subcellular distribution of VAMP and syntaxin within Torpedo electric organ nerve endings was studied by immunogoldlabeling of SDS-digested freeze-fracture replicas (Fujimoto, 1995). This technique allowed us to visualize large surface areas of the presynaptic plasmamembrane and numerous synaptic vesicles from rapidly frozen nerve endings and synaptosomes. VAMP was found associated with synaptic vesicles, as also shown by conventional electron microscopy immunolabeling, and to the presynaptic plasmamembrane (P leaflet). Syntaxin was also detected in the nerve ending plasmamembrane, without gold labeling of synaptic vesicles. Comparison of gold particle densities suggests that the presynaptic plasmamembrane contains 3 VAMP molecules per molecule of syntaxin. After biotinylation of intact synaptosomes, the synaptosomal plasmamembrane was isolated on Streptavidin coated magnetic beads. Its antigenic content was compared to that of purified synaptic vesicles. VAMP was present in both membranes whereas syntaxin and SNAP 25 were highly enriched in the synaptosomal plasmamembrane. This membrane has a low content of classical synaptic vesicle proteins (synaptophysin, SV2 and the vesicular acetylcholine transporter). The VAMP to syntaxin stoichiometry in the isolated synaptosomal membrane was estimated by comparison with purified antigens and close to 2, in accordance with morphological data. SDS-resistant SNARE complexes were detected in the isolated presynaptic membrane but absent in purified synaptic vesicles. Taken together, these results show that the presence of VAMP in the plasmamembrane of nerve endings cannot result from exocytosis of synaptic vesicles, a process

We devised a method of plasma exchange with dialysis (PED), in which selective plasma exchange (sPE) is performed using a selective membraneplasma separator (EC-2A) with an albumin-sieving coefficient of 0.3 while the dialysate flows outside the hollow fibers, and reported the usefulness of the system for treating acute liver failure. Thereafter, EC-4A with an albumin-sieving coefficient of 0.6 was developed, which was expected to be even more effective for removing protein-bound substances. In order to examine whether or not EC-4A might be applicable to blood purification therapy against drug poisoning, we compared the efficacies of sPE, PED, and direct hemoperfusion (DHP) using an activated carbon column for the removal of phenobarbital and lithium. Subjects undergoing the extracorporeal circulation study were assigned to the sPE group, PED group, or DHP group, and the changes in the blood concentrations of phenobarbital and lithium were measured over 180 min. A significant decrease of the phenobarbital concentration over time was seen in the PED group, as compared to that in the sPE group (P

In the present study, we report that polyphenols present in red wine obtained by a controlled microvinification process are able to protect human erythrocytes from oxidative stress and to activate PlasmaMembrane Redox System (PMRS). Human plasma obtained from healthy subjects was incubated in the presence of whole red wine at a concentration corresponding to 9.13-73 μg/ml gallic acid equivalents to verify the capacity to protect against hypochlorous acid (HOCl)-induced plasma oxidation and to minimize chloramine formation. Red wine reduced hemolysis and chloramine formation induced by HOCl of 40 and 35%, respectively. PMRS present on human erythrocytes transfers electrons from intracellular molecules to extracellular electron acceptors. We demonstrated that whole red wine activated PMRS activity in human erythrocytes isolated from donors in a dose-dependent manner with a maximum at about 70-100 μg/ml gallic acid equivalents. We also showed that red wine increased glutathione (GSH) levels and erythrocytic antioxidant capacity, measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) quenching assay. Furthermore, we reported that GSH played a crucial role in regulating PMRS activity in erythrocytes. In fact, the effect of iodoacetamide, an alkylating agent that induces depletion of intracellular GSH, was completely counteracted by red wine. Bioactive compounds present in red wine, such as gallic acid, resveratrol, catechin, and quercetin were unable to activate PMRS when tested at the concentrations normally present in aged red wines. On the contrary, the increase of PMRS activity was associated with the anthocyanin fraction, suggesting the capacity of this class of compounds to positively modulate PMRS enzymatic activity. PMID:26866566

Extracellular lysophosphatidate and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) are important bioactive lipids, which signal through G-protein-coupled receptors to stimulate cell growth and survival. The lysophosphatidate and S1P signals are terminated partly by degradation through three broad-specificity lipid phosphate phosphatases (LPPs) on the cell surface. Significantly, the expression of LPP1 and LPP3 is decreased in many cancers, and this increases the impact of lysophosphatidate and S1P signaling. However, relatively little is known about the physiological or pharmacological regulation of the expression of the different LPPs. We now show that treating several malignant and nonmalignant cell lines with 1 μg/ml tetracycline, doxycycline, or minocycline significantly increased the extracellular degradation of lysophosphatidate. S1P degradation was also increased in cells that expressed high LPP3 activity. These results depended on an increase in the stabilities of the three LPPs and increased expression on the plasmamembrane. We tested the physiological significance of these results and showed that treating rats with doxycycline accelerated the clearance of lysophosphatidate, but not S1P, from the circulation. However, administering 100 mg/kg/day doxycycline to mice decreased plasma concentrations of lysophosphatidate and S1P. This study demonstrates a completely new property of tetracyclines in increasing the plasmamembrane expression of the LPPs. PMID:26884614

In this study, the properties of pea (Pisum sativum L.) plasmamembrane were examined to determine how the membrane structure and functions are regulated in response to clinorotation (2 rev/min) conditions. Membrane preparations enriched by plasmamembrane vesicles were obtained by aqueous two-phase partitioning from 6-day seedling roots. The specific characteristics of H^+-ATPase, lípid composition and peroxidation intensity as well as fluidity of lipid bilayer were analysed. ATP hydrolytic activity was inhibited by ortovanadate and was insensitive to aside and nitrate in sealed plasmamembrane vesicles isolated from both clinorotated and control seedlings. Plasmamembrane vesicles from clinorotated seedlings in comparison to controls were characterised by increase in the total lipid/protein ratio, ATP hydrolytic activity and intensifying of lipid peroxidation. Sitosterol and campesterol were the predominant free sterol species. Clinorotated seedlings contained a slightly higher level of unsaturated fatty acid than controls. Plasmamembrane vesicles were labelled with pyrene and fluorescence originating from monomeric (I_M) molecules and excimeric (I_E) aggregates were measured. The calculated I_E/I_M values were higher in clinorotated seedlings compared with controls reflecting the reduction in membrane microviscosity. The involvement of the changes in plasmamembrane lipid content and composition, fluidity and H^+-ATPase activity in response of pea seedlings to altered gravity is discussed.

Melittin is an anti-bacterial and hemolytic toxic peptide found in bee venom. Cell lysis behavior of peptides has been widely investigated, but the exact interaction mechanism of lytic peptides with lipid membranes and its constituents has not been understood completely. In this paper we study the melittin interaction with lipid plasmamembranes in real time using non-invasive and non-contact fluorescence interference contrast microscopy (FLIC). Particularly the interaction of melittin with plasmamembranes was studied in a controlled molecular environment, where these plasmamembrane were composed of saturated lipid, 1,2-diphytanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPhPC) and unsaturated lipid, 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine(DOPC) with and without cholesterol. We found out that melittin starts to form nanometer size pores in the plasmamembranes shortly after interacting with membranes. But the addition of cholesterol in plasmamembrane slows down the pore formation process. Our results show that inclusion of cholesterol to the plasmamembranes make them more resilient towards pore formation and lysis of membrane.

Connexins are the structural subunits of gap junctions and act as protein platforms for signaling complexes. Little is known about tissue-specific connexin signaling nexuses, given significant challenges associated with affinity-purifying endogenous channel complexes to the level required for interaction analyses. Here, we used multiple subcellular fractionation techniques to isolate connexin32-enriched membrane microdomains from murine liver. We show, for the first time, that connexin32 localizes to both the plasmamembrane and inner mitochondrial membrane of hepatocytes. Using a combination of immunoprecipitation-high throughput mass spectrometry, reciprocal co-IP, and subcellular fractionation methodologies, we report a novel interactome validated using null mutant controls. Eighteen connexin32 interacting proteins were identified. The majority represent resident mitochondrial proteins, a minority represent plasmamembrane, endoplasmic reticulum, or cytoplasmic partners. In particular, connexin32 interacts with connexin26 and the mitochondrial protein, sideroflexin-1, at the plasmamembrane. Connexin32 interaction enhances connexin26 stability. Converging bioinformatic, biochemical, and confocal analyses support a role for connexin32 in transiently tethering mitochondria to connexin32-enriched plasmamembrane microdomains through interaction with proteins in the outer mitochondrial membrane, including sideroflexin-1. Complex formation increases the pool of sideroflexin-1 that is present at the plasmamembrane. Together, these data identify a novel plasmamembrane/mitochondrial signaling nexus in the connexin32 interactome. PMID:23590695

Plasmamembrane repair in animal cells uses synaptotagmin 7, a Ca(2+)-activated membrane fusion protein that mediates delivery of intracellular membranes to wound sites by a mechanism resembling neuronal Ca(2+)-regulated exocytosis. Here, we show that loss of function of the homologous Arabidopsis thaliana Synaptotagmin 1 protein (SYT1) reduces the viability of cells as a consequence of a decrease in the integrity of the plasmamembrane. This reduced integrity is enhanced in the syt1-2 null mutant in conditions of osmotic stress likely caused by a defective plasmamembrane repair. Consistent with a role in plasmamembrane repair, SYT1 is ubiquitously expressed, is located at the plasmamembrane, and shares all domains characteristic of animal synaptotagmins (i.e., an N terminus-transmembrane domain and a cytoplasmic region containing two C2 domains with phospholipid binding activities). Our analyses support that membrane trafficking mediated by SYT1 is important for plasmamembrane integrity and plant fitness. PMID:19088329

The effect of vanadate on the plant plasmamembrane ATPase were investigated in plasmamembrane fractions derived from corn roots (Zea mays L.) and red beets (Beta vulgaris L.). The Ki for vanadate inhibition of the plasmamembrane ATPase from corn roots and red beets was between 6 and 15 micromolar vanadate. In both membrane fractions, 80% to 90% of the total ATPase was inhibited at vanadate concentrations below 100 micromolar. Vanadate inhibition was optimal at pH 6.5, enhanced by the presence of K+, and was partially reversed by 1 millimolar EDTA. The Mg:ATP kinetics for the plasmamembrane ATPase were hyperbolic in both the absence and presence of vanadate. Vanadate decreased both the Km and Vmax of the red beet plasmamembrane ATPase, indicating that vanadate inhibits the ATPase uncompetitively. These results indicate many similarities with respect to vanadate inhibition between the plant plasmamembrane ATPase and other major iontranslocating ATPases from fungal and animal cells. The high sensitivity to vanadate reported here, however, differs from other reports of vanadate inhibition of the plant plasmamembrane ATPase from corn, beets, and in some instances oats. PMID:16663670

The hydrophilic surface modification of micro-porous polypropylene (PP) membranes is achieved by low-pressure 13.56 MHz RF methane (CH4)/oxygen (O2) gas mixture plasma treatment. The changes in surface wettability and surface free energy were examined by static contact angle analysis. The static water contact angle of the plasma modified membrane notably decreased with increases in treatment time and plasma power. The obvious increase in the surface energy of polypropylene membranes due to CH4/O2 mixture gas plasma treatments was also observed. Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) was used to analyze the chemical species of CH4/O2 mixture gas plasma treatment. The variations in the surface morphology and chemical structure of the micro-porous PP membranes were confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. XPS analysis showed significantly higher surface concentrations of oxygen functional groups for CH4/O2 mixture gas plasma-modified polypropylene membrane surfaces than for the originally unmodified polypropylene membrane surface. The experimental results show the important role of chemical species in the interaction between a CH4/O2 mixture gas plasma and a membrane surface, which can be controlled by surface modification to tailor the hydrophilicity of the membrane to the requirements of various applications.

Exosomes and ectosomes, extracellular vesicles of two types generated by all cells at multivesicular bodies and the plasmamembrane, respectively, play critical roles in physiology and pathology. A key mechanism of their function, analogous for both types of vesicles, is the fusion of their membrane to the plasmamembrane of specific target cells, followed by discharge to the cytoplasm of their luminal cargo containing proteins, RNAs, and DNA. Here we summarize the present knowledge about the interactions, binding and fusions of vesicles with the cell plasmamembrane. The sequence initiates with dynamic interactions, during which vesicles roll over the plasmamembrane, followed by the binding of specific membrane proteins to their cell receptors. Membrane binding is then converted rapidly into fusion by mechanisms analogous to those of retroviruses. Specifically, proteins of the extracellular vesicle membranes are structurally rearranged, and their hydrophobic sequences insert into the target cell plasmamembrane which undergoes lipid reorganization, protein restructuring and membrane dimpling. Single fusions are not the only process of vesicle/cell interactions. Upon intracellular reassembly of their luminal cargoes, vesicles can be regenerated, released and fused horizontally to other target cells. Fusions of extracellular vesicles are relevant also for specific therapy processes, now intensely investigated. PMID:27517914

Exosomes and ectosomes, extracellular vesicles of two types generated by all cells at multivesicular bodies and the plasmamembrane, respectively, play critical roles in physiology and pathology. A key mechanism of their function, analogous for both types of vesicles, is the fusion of their membrane to the plasmamembrane of specific target cells, followed by discharge to the cytoplasm of their luminal cargo containing proteins, RNAs, and DNA. Here we summarize the present knowledge about the interactions, binding and fusions of vesicles with the cell plasmamembrane. The sequence initiates with dynamic interactions, during which vesicles roll over the plasmamembrane, followed by the binding of specific membrane proteins to their cell receptors. Membrane binding is then converted rapidly into fusion by mechanisms analogous to those of retroviruses. Specifically, proteins of the extracellular vesicle membranes are structurally rearranged, and their hydrophobic sequences insert into the target cell plasmamembrane which undergoes lipid reorganization, protein restructuring and membrane dimpling. Single fusions are not the only process of vesicle/cell interactions. Upon intracellular reassembly of their luminal cargoes, vesicles can be regenerated, released and fused horizontally to other target cells. Fusions of extracellular vesicles are relevant also for specific therapy processes, now intensely investigated. PMID:27517914

We have previously identified two auxin-binding polypeptides in plasmamembrane (PM) preparations from zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) (Hicks et al. 1989, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86, 4948-4952). These polypeptides have molecular weights of 40 kDa and 42 kDa and label specifically with the photoaffinity auxin analog 5-N3-7-3H-IAA (azido-IAA). Azido-IAA permits both the covalent and radioactive tagging of auxin-binding proteins and has allowed us to characterize further the 40-kDa and 42-kDa polypeptides, including the nature of their attachment to the PM, their relationship to each other, and their potential function. The azido-IAA-labeled polypeptides remain in the pelleted membrane fraction following high-salt and detergent washes, which indicates a tight and possibly integral association with the PM. Two-dimensional electrophoresis of partially purified azido-IAA-labeled protein demonstrates that, in addition to the major isoforms of the 40-kDa and 42-kDa polypeptides, which possess isoelectric points (pIs) of 8.2 and 7.2, respectively, several less abundant isoforms that display unique pIs are apparent at both molecular masses. Tryptic and chymotryptic digestion of the auxin-binding proteins indicates that the 40-kDa and 42-kDa polypeptides are closely related or are modifications of the same polypeptide. Phase extraction with the nonionic detergent Triton X-114 results in partitioning of the azido-IAA-labeled polypeptides into the aqueous (hydrophilic) phase. This apparently paradoxical behavior is also exhibited by certain integral membrane proteins that aggregate to form channels. The results of gel filtration indicate that the auxin-binding proteins do indeed aggregate strongly and that the polypeptides associate to form a dimer or multimeric complex in vivo. These characteristics are consistent with the hypothesis that the 40-kDa and 42-kDa polypeptides are subunits of a multimeric integral membrane protein which has an auxin-binding site, and which may

In the highly competitive market of fuel cells, solid alkaline fuel cells using liquid fuel (such as cheap, non-toxic and non-valorized glycerol) and not requiring noble metal as catalyst seem quite promising. One of the main hurdles for emergence of such a technology is the development of a hydroxide-conducting membrane characterized by both high conductivity and low fuel permeability. Plasma treatments can enable to positively tune the main fuel cell membrane requirements. In this work, commercial ADP-Morgane® fluorinated polymer membranes and a new brand of cross-linked poly(aryl-ether) polymer membranes, named AMELI-32®, both containing quaternary ammonium functionalities, have been modified by argon plasma treatment or triallylamine-based plasma deposit. Under the concomitant etching/cross-linking/oxidation effects inherent to the plasma modification, transport properties (ionic exchange capacity, water uptake, ionic conductivity and fuel retention) of membranes have been improved. Consequently, using plasma modified ADP-Morgane® membrane as electrolyte in a solid alkaline fuel cell operating with glycerol as fuel has allowed increasing the maximum power density by a factor 3 when compared to the untreated membrane. PMID:24958295

In the highly competitive market of fuel cells, solid alkaline fuel cells using liquid fuel (such as cheap, non-toxic and non-valorized glycerol) and not requiring noble metal as catalyst seem quite promising. One of the main hurdles for emergence of such a technology is the development of a hydroxide-conducting membrane characterized by both high conductivity and low fuel permeability. Plasma treatments can enable to positively tune the main fuel cell membrane requirements. In this work, commercial ADP-Morgane® fluorinated polymer membranes and a new brand of cross-linked poly(aryl-ether) polymer membranes, named AMELI-32®, both containing quaternary ammonium functionalities, have been modified by argon plasma treatment or triallylamine-based plasma deposit. Under the concomitant etching/cross-linking/oxidation effects inherent to the plasma modification, transport properties (ionic exchange capacity, water uptake, ionic conductivity and fuel retention) of membranes have been improved. Consequently, using plasma modified ADP-Morgane® membrane as electrolyte in a solid alkaline fuel cell operating with glycerol as fuel has allowed increasing the maximum power density by a factor 3 when compared to the untreated membrane. PMID:24958295

A marked increase in the activities of rat liver plasma-membrane (Na+ + K+)-stimulated ATPase and microsomal Ca2+-stimulated ATPase was observed 18h after partial hepatectomy. Lipid analyses for both membrane preparations reveal that in partially hepatectomized rats the cholesterol and sphingomyelin content are decreased with a subsequent decrease in the cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio compared with those of sham-operated animals. Changes in the allosteric properties of plasma-membrane (Na+ + K+)-stimulated ATPase by F- (as reflected by changes in the Hill coefficient) indicated a fluidization of the lipid bilayer of both membrane preparations in 18 h-regenerating liver. The amphipathic dodecyl glucoside incorporated into the hepatic plasmamembranes evoked a marked increase in the (Na+ + K+)-stimulated ATPase and 5'-nucleotidase activities. The lack of effect of the glucoside on the Lubrol-PX-solubilized 5'-nucleotidase indicates that changes in the activities of the membrane-bound enzymes caused by the glucoside are due to modulation of the membrane fluidity. Dodecyl glucoside appears to increase the membrane fluidity, evaluated through changes in the Hill coefficient for plasma-membrane (Na+ + K+)-stimulated ATPase. The biological significance of these data is discussed in terms of the differences and changes in the interaction of membrane-bound enzymes with membrane lipids during liver regeneration. PMID:6309144

A process of plasma polymerization of dimethylaniline and acrylic acid vapours on the surface of poly(ethylene terephthalate) track membranes has been investigated. The surface and hydrodynamic properties of the composite membranes produced in this case have been studied. It is shown that the water permeability of the obtained polymeric membranes can be controlled by changing the filtrate pH. Membranes with such properties can be used for controllable drug delivery and in sensor control.

Microdomains known as "rafts" have been isolated from many cell types as detergent-resistant membranes (DRMs) and are enriched in sphingolipids and cholesterol. However, there has been considerable controversy over whether such domains are found in native membranes or are artificially generated by the purification procedure. This controversy is based at least in part on the fact that raft membranes were first detected following detergent extraction in the cold. We isolated two plasmamembrane fractions, without detergent treatment, using a discontinuous sucrose density gradient. One fraction was designated "light" and the other "heavy." These fractions were compared with DRMs, which were isolated in the presence of 1% Triton X-100. We found that Xenopus DRMs are enriched with sphingomyelin and cholesterol and exhibit a phase state similar to the liquid-ordered phase. Comparison of DRM complexes with the light and heavy plasmamembrane fractions revealed some physical and biochemical similarities between the light fraction of the plasmamembrane and the DRM complexes, based on (1) the phosphatidylcholine/sphingomyelin ratio and (2) the protein composition visualized on a two-dimensional gel. These two fractions are also quite similar in their thermotropic phase behavior, and their high levels of ganglioside GM1. We conclude that the light membrane fraction isolated in a detergent-free environment has many of the characteristics normally associated with DRMs. PMID:12403620

Growth of the plasmamembrane is as fundamental to cell reproduction as DNA replication, chromosome segregation and ribosome biogenesis, yet little is known about the underlying mechanisms. Membrane growth during the cell cycle requires mechanisms that control the initiation, location, and extent of membrane growth, as well as mechanisms that coordinate membrane growth with cell cycle progression. Recent experiments have established links between membrane growth and core cell cycle regulators. Further analysis of these links will yield insights into conserved and fundamental mechanisms of cell growth. A better understanding of the post-Golgi pathways by which membrane growth occurs will be essential for future progress. PMID:23141634

Novel biophysical approaches combined with modeling and new biochemical data have helped to recharge the lipid raft field and have contributed to the generation of a refined model of plasmamembrane organization. In this review, we summarize new information in the context of previous literature to provide new insights into the spatial organization and dynamics of lipids and proteins in the plasmamembrane of live cells. Recent findings of large-scale separation of liquid-ordered and liquid-disordered phases in plasmamembrane vesicles demonstrate this capacity within the complex milieu of plasmamembrane proteins and lipids. Roles for membrane heterogeneity and reorganization in immune cell activation are discussed in light of this new information. PMID:17764993

To evaluate the effect of plasmamembrane fluidity of lung endothelial cells on serotonin transport, porcine pulmonary artery endothelial cells were incubated for 3 h with either 0.1 mM cholesterol hemisuccinate, 0.1 mM cis-vaccenic acid, or vehicle (control), after which plasmamembrane fluidity and serotinin transport were measured. Fluorescence spectroscopy was used to measure fluidity in the plasmamembrane. Serotonin uptake was calculated from the disappearance of ({sup 14}C)-serotonin from the culture medium. Cholesterol decreased fluidity in the subpolar head group and central and midacyl side-chain regions of the plasmamembrane and decreased serotonin transport, whereas cis-vaccenic acid increased fluidity in the central and midacyl side-chain regions of the plasmamembrane and also increased serotonin transport. Cis-vaccenic acid had no effect of fluidity in the subpolar head group region of the plasmamembrane. These results provide evidence that the physical state of the central and midacyl chains within the pulmonary artery endothelial cell plasmamembrane lipid bilayer modulates transmembrane transport of serotonin by these cells.

The C-terminal domain (D4) of perfringolysin O binds selectively to cholesterol in cholesterol-rich microdomains. To address the issue of whether cholesterol-rich microdomains exist in the inner leaflet of the plasmamembrane, we expressed D4 as a fusion protein with EGFP in MEF cells. More than half of the EGFP-D4 expressed in stable cell clones was bound to membranes in raft fractions. Depletion of membrane cholesterol with {beta}-cyclodextrin reduced the amount of EGFP-D4 localized in raft fractions, confirming EGFP-D4 binding to cholesterol-rich microdomains. Subfractionation of the raft fractions showed most of the EGFP-D4 bound to the plasmamembrane rather than to intracellular membranes. Taken together, these results strongly suggest the existence of cholesterol-rich microdomains in the inner leaflet of the plasmamembrane.

How the plasmamembrane is bent to accommodate clathrin-independent endocytosis remains uncertain. Recent studies suggest Shiga and cholera toxin induce membrane curvature required for their uptake into clathrin-independent carriers by binding and cross-linking multiple copies of their glycosphingolipid receptors on the plasmamembrane. But it remains unclear if toxin-induced sphingolipid crosslinking provides sufficient mechanical force for deforming the plasmamembrane, or if host cell factors also contribute to this process. To test this, we imaged the uptake of cholera toxin B-subunit into surface-derived tubular invaginations. We found that cholera toxin mutants that bind to only one glycosphingolipid receptor accumulated in tubules, and that toxin binding was entirely dispensable for membrane tubulations to form. Unexpectedly, the driving force for tubule extension was supplied by the combination of microtubules, dynein and dynactin, thus defining a novel mechanism for generating membrane curvature during clathrin-independent endocytosis. PMID:25690058

A diffusion barrier segregates the plasmamembrane of the rod photoreceptor outer segment into 2 domains; one which is optimized for the conductance of ions in the phototransduction cascade and another for disk membrane synthesis. We propose the former to be named “phototransductive plasmamembrane domain," and the latter to be named “disk morphogenic plasmamembrane domain." Within the phototransductive plasmamembrane, cGMP-gated channels are concentrated in striated membrane features, which are proximally located to the sites of active cGMP production within the disk membranes. For proper localization of cGMP-gated channel to the phototransductive plasmamembrane, the glutamic acid-rich protein domain encoded in the β subunit plays a critical role. Quantitative study suggests that the disk morphogenic domain likely plays an important role in enriching rhodopsin prior to its sequestration into closed disk membranes. Thus, this and our previous studies provide new insight into the mechanism that spatially organizes the vertebrate phototransduction cascade. PMID:25616687

The four mammalian C-terminal Eps15 homology domain-containing proteins (EHD1-EHD4) play pivotal roles in endocytic membrane trafficking. While EHD1, EHD3 and EHD4 associate with intracellular tubular/vesicular membranes, EHD2 localizes to the inner leaflet of the plasmamembrane. Currently, little is known about the regulation of EHD2. Thus, we sought to define the factors responsible for EHD2’s association with the plasmamembrane. The subcellular localization of endogenous EHD2 was examined in HeLa cells using confocal microscopy. Although EHD partner proteins typically mediate EHD membrane recruitment, EHD2 was targeted to the plasmamembrane independent of two well-characterized binding proteins, syndapin2 and EHBP1. Additionally, the EH domain of EHD2, which facilitates canonical EHD protein interactions, was not required to direct overexpressed EHD2 to the cell surface. On the other hand, several lines of evidence indicate that the plasmamembrane phospholipid phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) plays a crucial role in regulating EHD2 subcellular localization. Pharmacologic perturbation of PIP2 metabolism altered PIP2 plasmamembrane distribution (as assessed by confocal microscopy), and caused EHD2 to redistribute away from the plasmamembrane. Furthermore, overexpressed EHD2 localized to PIP2-enriched vacuoles generated by active Arf6. Finally, we show that although cytochalasin D caused actin microfilaments to collapse, EHD2 was nevertheless maintained at the plasmamembrane. Intriguingly, cytochalasin D induced relocalization of both PIP2 and EHD2 to actin aggregates, supporting a role of PIP2 in controlling EHD2 subcellular localization. Altogether, these studies emphasize the significance of membrane lipid composition for EHD2 subcellular distribution and offer new insights into the regulation of this important endocytic protein. PMID:24040268

Commercial nanofiltration (NF) thin-film composite (TFC) membranes were treated by low-pressure NH3 plasma, and the effects of the plasma treatment were investigated in terms of the membrane hydrophilicity, pure water flux, salt rejection, protein adsorption, and humic acid fouling. Experimental results indicated that the membrane surface hydrophilicity was increased by the plasma treatment, and changes in the hydrophilicity as well as membrane performance including permeate flux and fouling varied with the original membrane characteristics (e.g., roughness and hydrophilicity). Water flux of plasma treated membranes was the highest with 10 min and 90 W of plasma treatment, and salt rejection was mainly affected by the intensity of the plasma power. Results of bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorption demonstrated that the protein adsorption decreased with increasing plasma treatment time. The plasma treatment that resulted in more negatively charged surfaces could also better prevent Aldrich humic acid (AHA) attachment on the membrane surface.

K-Ras must localize to the plasmamembrane for biological activity; thus, preventing plasmamembrane interaction blocks K-Ras signal output. Here we show that inhibition of acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) mislocalizes both the K-Ras isoforms K-Ras4A and K-Ras4B from the plasmamembrane to the endomembrane and inhibits their nanoclustering. We found that fendiline, a potent ASM inhibitor, reduces the phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) and cholesterol content of the inner plasmamembrane. These lipid changes are causative because supplementation of fendiline-treated cells with exogenous PtdSer rapidly restores K-Ras4A and K-Ras4B plasmamembrane binding, nanoclustering, and signal output. Conversely, supplementation with exogenous cholesterol restores K-Ras4A but not K-Ras4B nanoclustering. These experiments reveal different operational pools of PtdSer on the plasmamembrane. Inhibition of ASM elevates cellular sphingomyelin and reduces cellular ceramide levels. Concordantly, delivery of recombinant ASM or exogenous ceramide to fendiline-treated cells rapidly relocalizes K-Ras4B and PtdSer to the plasmamembrane. K-Ras4B mislocalization is also recapitulated in ASM-deficient Neimann-Pick type A and B fibroblasts. This study identifies sphingomyelin metabolism as an indirect regulator of K-Ras4A and K-Ras4B signaling through the control of PtdSer plasmamembrane content. It also demonstrates the critical and selective importance of PtdSer to K-Ras4A and K-Ras4B plasmamembrane binding and nanoscale spatial organization. PMID:26572827

K-Ras must localize to the plasmamembrane for biological activity; thus, preventing plasmamembrane interaction blocks K-Ras signal output. Here we show that inhibition of acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) mislocalizes both the K-Ras isoforms K-Ras4A and K-Ras4B from the plasmamembrane to the endomembrane and inhibits their nanoclustering. We found that fendiline, a potent ASM inhibitor, reduces the phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) and cholesterol content of the inner plasmamembrane. These lipid changes are causative because supplementation of fendiline-treated cells with exogenous PtdSer rapidly restores K-Ras4A and K-Ras4B plasmamembrane binding, nanoclustering, and signal output. Conversely, supplementation with exogenous cholesterol restores K-Ras4A but not K-Ras4B nanoclustering. These experiments reveal different operational pools of PtdSer on the plasmamembrane. Inhibition of ASM elevates cellular sphingomyelin and reduces cellular ceramide levels. Concordantly, delivery of recombinant ASM or exogenous ceramide to fendiline-treated cells rapidly relocalizes K-Ras4B and PtdSer to the plasmamembrane. K-Ras4B mislocalization is also recapitulated in ASM-deficient Neimann-Pick type A and B fibroblasts. This study identifies sphingomyelin metabolism as an indirect regulator of K-Ras4A and K-Ras4B signaling through the control of PtdSer plasmamembrane content. It also demonstrates the critical and selective importance of PtdSer to K-Ras4A and K-Ras4B plasmamembrane binding and nanoscale spatial organization. PMID:26572827

Suspension plasma spray deposition was utilized to fabricate dense lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite oxygen separation membranes (OSMs) on porous metal substrates for mechanical support. The as-sprayed membranes had negligible and/or reversible material decomposition. At the longer stand-off distance (80 mm), smooth and dense membranes could be manufactured using a plasma with power below approximately 81 kW. Moreover, a membrane of 55 μm was observed to have very low gas leakage rates desirable for OSM applications. This thickness could potentially be decreased further to improve oxygen diffusion by using metal substrates with finer surface pores.

Most proteins have uneven distributions in the plasmamembrane. Broadly speaking, this may be caused by mechanisms specific to each protein, or may be a consequence of a general pattern that affects the distribution of all membrane proteins. The latter hypothesis has been difficult to test in the past. Here, we introduce several approaches based on click chemistry, through which we study the distribution of membrane proteins in living cells, as well as in membrane sheets. We found that the plasmamembrane proteins form multi-protein assemblies that are long lived (minutes), and in which protein diffusion is restricted. The formation of the assemblies is dependent on cholesterol. They are separated and anchored by the actin cytoskeleton. Specific proteins are preferentially located in different regions of the assemblies, from their cores to their edges. We conclude that the assemblies constitute a basic mesoscale feature of the membrane, which affects the patterning of most membrane proteins, and possibly also their activity. PMID:25060237

Most proteins have uneven distributions in the plasmamembrane. Broadly speaking, this may be caused by mechanisms specific to each protein, or may be a consequence of a general pattern that affects the distribution of all membrane proteins. The latter hypothesis has been difficult to test in the past. Here, we introduce several approaches based on click chemistry, through which we study the distribution of membrane proteins in living cells, as well as in membrane sheets. We found that the plasmamembrane proteins form multi-protein assemblies that are long lived (minutes), and in which protein diffusion is restricted. The formation of the assemblies is dependent on cholesterol. They are separated and anchored by the actin cytoskeleton. Specific proteins are preferentially located in different regions of the assemblies, from their cores to their edges. We conclude that the assemblies constitute a basic mesoscale feature of the membrane, which affects the patterning of most membrane proteins, and possibly also their activity.

Integrins are major receptors for cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix (ECM). As transmembrane proteins, the levels of integrins at the plasmamembrane or the cell surface are ultimately determined by the balance between two vesicle trafficking events: endocytosis of integrins at the plasmamembrane and exocytosis of the vesicles that transport integrins. Here, we report that vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP2), a SNARE protein that mediates vesicle fusion with the plasmamembrane, is involved in the trafficking of {alpha}5{beta}1 integrin. VAMP2 was present on vesicles containing endocytosed {beta}1 integrin. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) silencing of VAMP2 markedly reduced cell surface {alpha}5{beta}1 and inhibited cell adhesion and chemotactic migration to fibronectin, the ECM ligand of {alpha}5{beta}1, without altering cell surface expression of {alpha}2{beta}1 integrin or {alpha}3{beta}1 integrin. By contrast, silencing of VAMP8, another SNARE protein, had no effect on cell surface expression of the integrins or cell adhesion to fibronectin. In addition, VAMP2-mediated trafficking is involved in cell adhesion to collagen but not to laminin. Consistent with disruption of integrin functions in cell proliferation and survival, VAMP2 silencing diminished proliferation and triggered apoptosis. Collectively, these data indicate that VAMP2 mediates the trafficking of {alpha}5{beta}1 integrin to the plasmamembrane and VAMP2-dependent integrin trafficking is critical in cell adhesion, migration and survival.

Cellular signaling pathways do not simply transmit data; they integrate and process signals to operate as switches, oscillators, logic gates, memory modules and many other types of control system. These complex processing capabilities enable cells to respond appropriately to the myriad of external cues that direct growth and development. The idea that crosstalk and feedback loops are used as control systems in biological signaling networks is well established. Signaling networks are also subject to exquisite spatial regulation, yet how spatial control modulates signal outputs is less well understood. Here, we explore the spatial organization of two different signal transduction circuits: receptor tyrosine kinase activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase module; and glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored receptor activation of phospholipase C. With regards to these pathways, recent results have refocused attention on the crucial role of lipid rafts and plasmamembrane nanodomains in signal transmission. We identify common design principals that highlight how the spatial organization of signal transduction circuits can be used as a fundamental control mechanism to modulate system outputs in vivo. PMID:18620858

Several previous human postmortem experiments have detected an increase in striatal [(3)H]WIN 35428 binding to the dopamine transporter (DAT) in chronic cocaine users. However, animal experiments have found considerable variability in DAT radioligand binding levels in brain after cocaine administration, perhaps caused by length and dose of treatment and type of radioligand used. The present experiments tested the hypothesis that [(3)H]WIN 35428 binding and [(3)H]dopamine uptake would be increased by exposure to cocaine through alterations in DAT cellular trafficking, rather than increased protein synthesis. Experiments were conducted in stably hDAT-transfected N2A cells and assessed the dose response and time course of cocaine effects on [(3)H]WIN 35428 binding to the DAT, [(3)H]dopamine uptake, measures of DAT protein and mRNA, as well as DAT subcellular location. Cocaine doses of 10(-6) M caused statistically significant increases in [(3)H]WIN 35428 binding and [(3)H]dopamine uptake after 12 and 3 h, respectively. Despite these increases in DAT function, there was no change in DAT total protein or mRNA. Immunofluorescence and biotinylation experiments indicated that cocaine treatment induced increases in plasmamembrane DAT immunoreactivity and intracellular decreases. The present model system may further our understanding of regulatory alterations in DAT radioligand binding and function caused by cocaine exposure. PMID:11809869

Structural-functional organization of plasmamembrane of pea roots seedling was investigated by methods of chemiluminescence, fluorescence probes, chromatography and freeze-fracture studies under normal conditions and clinostatting. Phase character of lipid peroxidation intensity was fixed. The initial phase of this process is characterized by lipid peroxidation decreasing with its next induction. The primary changes depending on free-radical mechanisms of lipid peroxidation were excellently revealed by chemiluminescence. Plasmalemma microviscosity increased on the average of 15-20 % under microgravity at the initial stages of its phenomenon. There were major changes of phosphatidilcholine and phosphatidilethanolamine contents. The total quantity of phospholipids remained rather stable. Changes of phosphatide acid concentration point to degradation and phospholipids biosynthesis. There were increases of unsaturated fatty acids mainly at the expense of linoleic and linolenic acids and also a decrease of saturated fatty acid content at the expense of palmitic and stearic acids. Unsaturation index of fatty acids increased as well. On the whole fatty acid composition was variable in comparison with phospholipids. Probably it is one of mechanisms of maintaining of microviscosity within definite limits. Considerable structural changes in organization of plasmalemma protein-lipid complex were not revealed by the freeze-fracture studies.

Cell surface protein and lipid molecules are organized in various patterns: randomly, along gradients, or clustered when segregated into discrete micro- and nano-domains. Their distribution is tightly coupled to events such as polarization, endocytosis, and intracellular signaling, but challenging to quantify using traditional techniques. Here we present a novel approach to quantify the distribution of plasmamembrane proteins and lipids. This approach describes spatial patterns in degrees of inhomogeneity and incorporates an intensity-based correction to analyze images with a wide range of resolutions; we have termed it Quantitative Analysis of the Spatial distributions in Images using Mosaic segmentation and Dual parameter Optimization in Histograms (QuASIMoDOH). We tested its applicability using simulated microscopy images and images acquired by widefield microscopy, total internal reflection microscopy, structured illumination microscopy, and photoactivated localization microscopy. We validated QuASIMoDOH, successfully quantifying the distribution of protein and lipid molecules detected with several labeling techniques, in different cell model systems. We also used this method to characterize the reorganization of cell surface lipids in response to disrupted endosomal trafficking and to detect dynamic changes in the global and local organization of epidermal growth factor receptors across the cell surface. Our findings demonstrate that QuASIMoDOH can be used to assess protein and lipid patterns, quantifying distribution changes and spatial reorganization at the cell surface. An ImageJ/Fiji plugin of this analysis tool is provided. PMID:27603951

Plasmamembrane-derived vesicles (PMVs) are released into circulation in response to normal and stress/pathogenic conditions. They are of tremendous significance for the prediction, diagnosis, and observation of the therapeutic success of many diseases. Knowledge of their molecular characteristics and therefore functional properties would contribute to a better understanding of the pathological mechanisms leading to various diseases in which their levels are raised. The review aims at outlining and discussing the molecular characteristics of PMVs in order to bring to the fore some aspects/characteristics of PMVs that will assist the scientific community to properly understand the role of PMVs in various physiological and pathological processes. The review covers PMVs characterisation and discusses how distinct they are from exosomes and endosomes. Also, methods of PMVs analysis, importance of proper PMV level estimation/characterisation, PMVs and their constituents as well as their therapeutic significance are discussed. The review concludes by drawing attention to the importance of further study into the functions of the characteristics discussed which will lead to understanding the general role of PMVs both in health and in disease states. PMID:26259622

Background The Voltage Dependent Anion Channel (VDAC) is involved in control of autism. Treatments, including coenzyme Q, have had some success on autism control. Data sources Correlation of porin redox activity and expression of autism is based on extensive literature, especially studies of antibodies, identification of cytosolic nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide reduced (NADH) dehydrogenase activity in the VDAC, and evidence for extreme sensitivity of the dehydrogenase to a mercurial. Evidence for a coenzyme Q requirement came from extraction and analog inhibition of NADH ferricyanide reductase in the erythrocyte plasmamembrane, done in 1994, and reinterpreted when it was identified in VDAC in 2004. The effects of ubiquinol (the QH2 – reduced form of coenzyme Q) in children with autism were studied. Results A new role for coenzyme Q in the porin channels has implications on autism. Ubiquinol, the more active form of coenzyme Q, produces favorable response in children with autism. Agents which affected electron transport in porin show parallel effects in autism. Conclusion We propose a hypothesis that autism is controlled by a coenzyme Q-dependent redox system in the porin channels; this conclusion is based on the effects of agents that positively or negatively affect electron transport and the symptoms of autism. The full understanding of the mechanism of their control needs to be established. PMID:24920882

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a unique tool for imaging membrane proteins in near-native environment (embedded in a membrane and in buffer solution) at ~1 nm spatial resolution. It has been most successful on membrane proteins reconstituted in 2D crystals and on some specialized and densely packed native membranes. Here, we report on AFM imaging of purified plasmamembranes from Xenopus laevis oocytes, a commonly used system for the heterologous expression of membrane proteins. Isoform M23 of human aquaporin 4 (AQP4-M23) was expressed in the X. laevis oocytes following their injection with AQP4-M23 cRNA. AQP4-M23 expression and incorporation in the plasmamembrane were confirmed by the changes in oocyte volume in response to applied osmotic gradients. Oocyte plasmamembranes were then purified by ultracentrifugation on a discontinuous sucrose gradient, and the presence of AQP4-M23 proteins in the purified membranes was established by Western blotting analysis. Compared with membranes without over-expressed AQP4-M23, the membranes from AQP4-M23 cRNA injected oocytes showed clusters of structures with lateral size of about 10 nm in the AFM topography images, with a tendency to a fourfold symmetry as may be expected for higher-order arrays of AQP4-M23. In addition, but only infrequently, AQP4-M23 tetramers could be resolved in 2D arrays on top of the plasmamembrane, in good quantitative agreement with transmission electron microscopy analysis and the current model of AQP4. Our results show the potential and the difficulties of AFM studies on cloned membrane proteins in native eukaryotic membranes. PMID:25277091

Cellular structural integrity is provided primarily by the cytoskeleton, which comprises microtubules, actin filaments, and intermediate filaments. The plasmamembrane has been also recognized as a mediator of physical forces, yet its contribution to the structural integrity of the cell as a whole is less clear. In order to investigate the relationship between the plasmamembrane and the cytoskeleton, we selectively disrupted the plasmamembrane and each of the cytoskeletal elements in Chinese hamster ovary cells and assessed subsequent changes in cellular structural integrity. Confocal microscopy was used to visualize cytoskeletal rearrangements, and optical tweezers were utilized to quantify membrane tether extraction. We found that cholesterol depletion from the plasmamembrane resulted in rearrangements of all cytoskeletal elements. Conversely, the state of the plasmamembrane, as assessed by tether extraction, was affected by disruption of any of the cytoskeletal elements, including microtubules and intermediate filaments, which are located mainly in the cell interior. The results demonstrate that, besides the cytoskeleton, the plasmamembrane is an important contributor to cellular integrity, possibly by acting as an essential framework for cytoskeletal anchoring. In agreement with the tensegrity model of cell mechanics, our results support the notion of the cell as a prestressed structure. PMID:25395197

Plasmamembrane ATPase has been proposed as a site of functional alteration during early stages of freezing injury. To test this, plasmamembrane was purified from Solanum leaflets by a single step partitioning of microsomes in a dextran-polyethylene glycol two phase system. Addition of lysolecithin in the ATPase assay produced up to 10-fold increase in ATPase activity. ATPase activity was specific for ATP with a Km around 0.4 millimolar. Presence of the ATPase enzyme was identified by immunoblotting with oat ATPase antibodies. Using the phase partitioning method, plasmamembrane was isolated from Solanum commersonii leaflets which had four different degrees of freezing damage, namely, slight (reversible), partial (partially reversible), substantial and total (irreversible). With slight (reversible) damage the plasmamembrane ATPase specific activity increased 1.5- to 2-fold and its Km was decreased by about 3-fold, whereas the specific activity of cytochrome c reductase and cytochrome c oxidase in the microsomes were not different from the control. However, with substantial (lethal, irreversible) damage, there was a loss of membrane protein, decrease in plasmamembrane ATPase specific activity and decrease in Km, while cytochrome c oxidase and cytochrome c reductase were unaffected. These results support the hypothesis that plasmamembrane ATPase is altered by slight freeze-thaw stress. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 PMID:16666856

Human cancer cells selected for resistance to several structurally unrelated cytotoxic drugs are known to display plasmamembrane alterations such as amplified levels of a variety of glycoproteins, modifications in lipid composition, alterations in membrane fluidity and increased cellular fragility to osmotic shock. We have studied the plasmamembrane fluidity of HL60 human leukemia cells and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells that have been selected for acquired resistance against the cytocidal effects of the anthracycline anticancer drug Adriamycin. Fluidity measurements were accomplished by evaluating the fluorescence anisotropy of the plasmamembrane specific probe trimethylamino-1,6-dipihenylhexatriene (TMA.DPH) bound to whole, living cells. TMA.DPH anisotropy values for MCF-7 sensitive and 12-fold resistant cells were 0.306 and 0.285, respectively, while anisotropy values for HL-60 sensitive and 80-fold resistant cells lines were 0.310 and 0.295, respectively. In all cases, cell viability exceeded 97% and anisotropy values were subject to a day-to-day uncertainty of +/-2%. Our results demonstrate that increased plasmamembrane fluidity apparently accompanies the development of resistance in both cell lines. Because it is known that increased membrane fluidity results in significantly decreased Adriamycin binding in artificial membrane systems, we propose here that decreased drug associations with fluidized, plasmamembrane lipid bilayer regions may be a mechanism which contributes, in part, to the reduced rates of drug accumulation observed in HL60 and MCF-7 cells resistant to Adriamycin.

Tumoral cells could present a multidrug resistance (MDR) to chemotherapeutic treatments. This drug resistance would be associated to biomechanisms occurring at the plasmamembrane level, involving modification of membrane fluidity, drug permeability, presence of microdomains (rafts, caveolae...), and membrane proteins overexpression such as Pglycoprotein. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) is the relevant method to investigate locally the fluidity of biological membranes through the lateral diffusion of a fluorescent membrane probe. Thus, we use FCS to monitor the plasmamembrane local organization of LR73 carcinoma cells and three derived multidrug-resistant cancer cells lines. Measurements were conducted at the single cell level, which enabled us to get a detailed overview of the plasmamembrane microviscosity distribution of each cell line studied. Moreover, we propose 2D diffusion simulation based on a Monte Carlo model to investigate the membrane organisation in terms of microdomains. This simulation allows us to relate the differences in the fluidity distributions with microorganization changes in plasmamembrane of MDR cells.

A novel and versatile plasma reactor was used to modify Polyethersulphone commercial membranes. The equipment was applied to: i) functionalize the membranes with low-temperature plasmas, ii) deposit a film of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) and, iii) deposit silver nanoparticles (SNP) by Gas Flow Sputtering. Each modification process was performed in the same reactor consecutively, without exposure of the membranes to atmospheric air. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the particles and modified membranes. SNP are evenly distributed on the membrane surface. Particle fixation and transport inside membranes were assessed before- and after-washing assays by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth profiling analysis. PMMA addition improved SNP fixation. Plasma-treated membranes showed higher hydrophilicity. Anti-biofouling activity was successfully achieved against Gram-positive (Enterococcus faecalis) and -negative (Salmonella Typhimurium) bacteria. Therefore, disinfection by ultrafiltration showed substantial resistance to biofouling. The post-synthesis functionalization process developed provides a more efficient fabrication route for anti-biofouling and anti-bacterial membranes used in the water treatment field. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a gas phase condensation process combined with a PECVD procedure in order to deposit SNP on commercial membranes to inhibit biofouling formation. PMID:26166926

Rat liver plasmamembranes were separated from other cellular membranes by affinity partitioning in an aqueous polymer two-phase system by using the lectin wheat-germ agglutinin covalently bound to dextran as the affinity ligand. In borate buffer the bulk of membranes partitioned in the poly(ethylene glycol)-rich top phase, whereas plasmamembranes were pulled selectively into the dextran-rich bottom phase in the presence of ligand. The purity and yield of plasmamembranes prepared by lectin affinity partitioning and by conventional sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation was similar, as judged from marker-enzyme activities. The affinity procedure, not dependent on lengthy centrifugations, is fast and gentle and will be advantageous when studying labile components. PMID:1703408

N-1-Naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA) binding activity is released into the supernatant when plasmamembranes are subjected to high-salt treatment, indicating that this activity is peripherally associated with the membrane. Extraction of plasmamembrane vesicles with Triton X-100 resulted in retention of NPA binding activity in the detergent-insoluble cytoskeletal pellet. Treatment of this pellet with KI released NPA binding activity, actin, and alpha-tubulin. Dialysis to remove KI led to the repolymerization of cytoskeletal elements and movement of NPA binding activity into an insoluble cytoskeletal pellet. NPA binding activity partitioned into the detergent-insoluble cytoskeletal pellet obtained from both zucchini and maize membranes and was released from these pellets by KI treatment. Treatment of a cytoskeletal pellet with cytochalasin B doubled NPA binding activity in the resulting supernatant. Together, these experiments indicate that NPA binding activity is peripherally associated with the plasmamembrane and interacts with the cytoskeleton in vitro. PMID:11536654

Aquaporins are membrane channels precisely regulating water movement through cell membranes in most living organisms. Despite the advances in the physiology of fruit development, their participation during fruit development in cucumber still barely understood. In this paper, the expressions of 12 genes encoding plasmamembrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs) were analyzed during cucumber fruit development in our work. Based on the homology search with known PIPs from rice, Arabidopsis and strawberry, 12 cucumber PIP genes subfamily members were identified. Cellular localization assays indicated that CsPIPs were localized in the plasmamembrane. The qRT-PCR analysis of CsPIPs showed that 12 CsPIPs were differentially expressed during fruit development. These results suggest that 12 genes encoding plasmamembrane intrinsic proteins (CsPIPs) play very important roles in cucumber life cycle and the data generated will be helpful in understanding their precise roles during fruit development in cucumber. PMID:26351149

A simple and rapid protocol for the preparation of plasmamembranes from chicken embryo fibroblasts and chicken lymphoid cells was developed. Characterization of the preparations by morphological, biochemical and serological methods indicated the specific enrichment of the plasmamembranes as well as cell surface proteins. Binding of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) particles was demonstrated after immobilization of the plasmamembranes, and cell type-specific differences were observed. Although the results of these studies reflect the interaction between IBDV and isolated cells only partially, the advantages of these plasmamembrane preparations, the specific enrichment of cell surface proteins, their constant quality and the possibility to store aliquots over several months, make them a useful tool for virus binding studies with avian cells. PMID:9694323

The plasmamembranes of mammalian cells are widely expected to contain domains that are enriched with cholesterol and sphingolipids. In this work, we have used high-resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry to directly map the distributions of isotope-labeled cholesterol and sphingolipids in the plasmamembranes of intact fibroblast cells. Although acute cholesterol depletion reduced sphingolipid domain abundance, cholesterol was evenly distributed throughout the plasmamembrane and was not enriched within the sphingolipid domains. As a result, we rule out favorable cholesterol-sphingolipid interactions as dictating plasmamembrane organization in fibroblast cells. Because the sphingolipid domains are disrupted by drugs that depolymerize themore » cells actin cytoskeleton, cholesterol must instead affect the sphingolipid organization via an indirect mechanism that involves the cytoskeleton.« less

The plasmamembranes of mammalian cells are widely expected to contain domains that are enriched with cholesterol and sphingolipids. In this work, we have used high-resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry to directly map the distributions of isotope-labeled cholesterol and sphingolipids in the plasmamembranes of intact fibroblast cells. Although acute cholesterol depletion reduced sphingolipid domain abundance, cholesterol was evenly distributed throughout the plasmamembrane and was not enriched within the sphingolipid domains. As a result, we rule out favorable cholesterol-sphingolipid interactions as dictating plasmamembrane organization in fibroblast cells. Because the sphingolipid domains are disrupted by drugs that depolymerize the cells actin cytoskeleton, cholesterol must instead affect the sphingolipid organization via an indirect mechanism that involves the cytoskeleton.

You are what you eat - this well-known phrase properly describes the phenomenon of the effects of diet on acute and chronic inflammation. Several lipids and lipophilic compounds that are delivered with food or are produced in situ in pathological conditions exert immunomodulatory activity due to their interactions with the plasmamembrane. This group of compounds includes cholesterol and its oxidized derivatives, fatty acids, α-tocopherol, and polyphenols. Despite their structural heterogeneity, all these compounds ultimately induce changes in plasmamembrane architecture and fluidity. By doing this, they modulate the dynamics of plasmamembrane receptors, such as TLR4. This receptor is activated by lipopolysaccharide, triggering acute inflammation during bacterial infection, which often leads to sepsis and is linked with diverse chronic inflammatory diseases. In this review, we discuss how the impact on plasmamembrane properties contributes to the immunomodulatory activity of dietary compounds, pointing to the therapeutic potential of some of them. Also watch the Video Abstract. PMID:25966354

Candida albicans is a human fungal pathogen capable of causing lethal systemic infections. The plasmamembrane plays key roles in virulence because it not only functions as a protective barrier, it also mediates dynamic functions including secretion of virulence factors, cell wall synthesis, invasive hyphal morphogenesis, endocytosis, and nutrient uptake. Consistent with this functional complexity, the plasmamembrane is composed of a wide array of lipids and proteins. These components are organized into distinct domains that will be the topic of this review. Some of the plasmamembrane domains that will be described are known to act as scaffolds or barriers to diffusion, such as MCC/eisosomes, septins, and sites of contact with the endoplasmic reticulum. Other zones mediate dynamic processes, including secretion, endocytosis, and a special region at hyphal tips that facilitates rapid growth. The highly organized architecture of the plasmamembrane facilitates the coordination of diverse functions and promotes the pathogenesis of C. albicans. PMID:26920878

The clusters of the influenza envelope protein, hemagglutinin, within the plasmamembrane are hypothesized to be enriched with cholesterol and sphingolipids. Here, we directly tested this hypothesis by using high-resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry to image the distributions of antibody-labeled hemagglutinin and isotope-labeled cholesterol and sphingolipids in the plasmamembranes of fibroblast cells that stably express hemagglutinin. We found that the hemagglutinin clusters were neither enriched with cholesterol nor colocalized with sphingolipid domains. Thus, hemagglutinin clustering and localization in the plasmamembrane is not controlled by cohesive interactions between hemagglutinin and liquid-ordered domains enriched with cholesterol and sphingolipids, or from specific binding interactions between hemagglutinin, cholesterol, and/or the majority of sphingolipid species in the plasmamembrane. PMID:25863057

The plasmamembranes of mammalian cells are widely expected to contain domains that are enriched with cholesterol and sphingolipids. In this work, we have used high-resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry to directly map the distributions of isotope-labeled cholesterol and sphingolipids in the plasmamembranes of intact fibroblast cells. Although acute cholesterol depletion reduced sphingolipid domain abundance, cholesterol was evenly distributed throughout the plasmamembrane and was not enriched within the sphingolipid domains. Thus, we rule out favorable cholesterol-sphingolipid interactions as dictating plasmamembrane organization in fibroblast cells. Because the sphingolipid domains are disrupted by drugs that depolymerize the cells actin cytoskeleton, cholesterol must instead affect the sphingolipid organization via an indirect mechanism that involves the cytoskeleton. PMID:23609440

The clusters of the influenza envelope protein, hemagglutinin, within the plasmamembrane are hypothesized to be enriched with cholesterol and sphingolipids. Here, we directly tested this hypothesis by using high-resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry to image the distributions of antibody-labeled hemagglutinin and isotope-labeled cholesterol and sphingolipids in the plasmamembranes of fibroblast cells that stably express hemagglutinin. We found that the hemagglutinin clusters were neither enriched with cholesterol nor colocalized with sphingolipid domains. Thus, hemagglutinin clustering and localization in the plasmamembrane is not controlled by cohesive interactions between hemagglutinin and liquid-ordered domains enriched with cholesterol and sphingolipids, or from specific binding interactions between hemagglutinin, cholesterol, and/or the majority of sphingolipid species in the plasmamembrane. PMID:25863057

Therapeutic plasma exchange has long been utilized to manage a variety of immune-mediated diseases. The underlying principle is the removal of a circulating pathogenic substance from the plasma and substitution with a replacement fluid. Different methodologies of plasma separation include the use of centrifuge, which relies on the variation in the specific gravity of blood components, and membrane-based separation, which relies on particle size. With advancements in technology and clinical insight into disease pathophysiology, membrane technology has become more biocompatible, safer, and more adaptable to conventional hemodialysis and hemofiltration machines. As such, nephrologists, who are familiar with management of extracorporeal blood purification systems, are increasingly involved with membrane-based plasma separation. This review aims to highlight the technical aspects of membrane-based separation, review the prescription for therapy, and draw comparisons with the centrifuge-based technique when applicable. PMID:27062015

Regulated urine concentration takes place in the renal collecting duct upon arginine vasopressin (AVP) stimulation, where subapical vesicles containing aquaporin-2 (AQP2) are inserted into the apical membrane instantly increasing water reabsorption and urine concentration. The reabsorped water exits via basolateral AQP3 and AQP4. Upon long-term stimulation with AVP or during thirst, expression levels of both AQP2 and AQP3 are increased; however, there is so far no evidence for short-term AVP regulation of AQP3 or AQP4. To facilitate the increase in transepithelial water transport, AQP3 may be short-term regulated via changes in protein-protein interactions, incorporation into lipid rafts, and/or changes in steady-state turnover, which could result in changes in the diffusion behavior of AQP3. Thus we measured AQP3 diffusion coefficients upon stimulation with the AVP mimic forskolin to reveal if AQP3 could be short-term regulated by AVP. k-Space image correlation spectroscopy (kICS) analysis of time-lapse image sequences of basolateral enhanced green fluorescent protein-tagged AQP3 (AQP3-EGFP) revealed that the forskolin-mediated elevation of cAMP increased the diffusion coefficient by 58% from 0.0147 ± 0.0082 μm(2)/s (control) to 0.0232 ± 0.0085 μm(2)/s (forskolin, P < 0.05). Quantum dot-conjugated antibody labeling also revealed a significant increase in AQP3 diffusion upon forskolin treatment by 44% [0.0104 ± 0.0040 μm(2)/s (control) vs. 0.0150 ± 0.0016 μm(2)/s (forskolin, P < 0.05)]. Immunoelectron microscopy showed no obvious difference in AQP3-EGFP expression levels or localization in the plasmamembrane upon forskolin stimulation. Thus AQP3-EGFP diffusion is altered upon increased cAMP, which may correspond to basolateral adaptations in response to the increased apical water readsorption. PMID:24452376

Membrane proteins are difficult to study for numerous reasons. The surface of membrane proteins is relatively hydrophobic and sometimes very unstable, additionally requiring detergents for their extraction from the membrane. This leads to challenges at all levels, including expression, solubilization, purification, identification of associated proteins, and the identification of post-translational modifications. However, recent advances in immunoprecipitation technology allow to isolate membrane proteins efficiently, facilitating the study of protein-protein interactions, the identification of novel associated proteins, and to identify post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation. Here, we describe an optimized immunoprecipitation protocol for plant plasmamembrane receptor-like kinases. PMID:26577786

Alterations in the physical state and composition of membrane lipids have been shown to interfere with a number of critical cellular and membrane functions including transmembrane transport. The authors have reported that hypoxia has profound effects upon the physical state and lipid composition of the PAEC plasmamembrane bilayer and have suggested that this is responsible for increased serotonin uptake by these cells. In order to determine whether hypoxia has a direct effect on the plasmamembrane transport of serotonin, they measured serotonin transport activity (1) in plasmamembrane vesicles isolated from normoxic (20% O{sub 2}-5% CO{sub 2}) and hypoxic (0% O{sub 2}-5% CO{sub 2}) PAEC and (2) in PAEC plasmamembrane vesicles that were exposed directly to normoxia or hypoxia. A 24-h exposure of PAEC to hypoxia resulted in a 40% increase in specific serotonin transport by plasmamembrane vesicles derived from these cells. When plasmamembrane vesicles were isolated and then directly exposed to normoxia or hypoxia for 1 h at 37C, a 31% increase in specific 5-HT transport was observed in hypoxic vesicles. Hypoxia did not alter the Km of serotonin transport (normoxia = 3.47 {mu}M versus hypoxia = 3.76 {mu}M) but markedly increased the maximal rate of transport (V{sup max}) (normoxia = 202.4 pmol/min/mg protein versus hypoxia = 317.9 pmol/min/mg protein). These results indicate that hypoxia increases serotonin transport in PAEC by a direct effect on the plasmamembrane leading to an increase in the effective number of transporter molecules without alteration in transporter affinity for serotonin.

We used an ultraviolet laser to rupture a small region of cell wall of a polarized Fucus spiralis rhizoid cell and gained localized access to the plasmamembrane at the growing apex. Careful control of cell turgor enabled a small portion of plasmamembrane-bound cytoplasm to be exposed. Gigaohm seals allowing single-channel recordings were obtained with a high success rate using this method with conventional patch clamp techniques. ImagesFigure 1 PMID:16669092

A method for formation of high-electrical-resistance seals on the Neurospora crassa plasmamembrane, allowing resolution of single-ion-channel activity by patch clamp electrophysiology, is reported. Laser microsurgery permits access to the hyphal apex without enzymatic cell wall digestion and loss of morphological polarity. Cell wall reformation is delayed by brefeldin. This method can allow full characterization of apical plasmamembrane channels, which are implicated in tip growth. PMID:16349556

The pit membrane (PM) is a primary cell wall barrier that separates adjacent xylem water conduits, limiting the spread of xylem-localized pathogens and air embolisms from one conduit to the next. This paper provides a characterization of the size of the pores in the PMs of grapevine (Vitis vinifera). The PM porosity (PMP) of stems infected with the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa was compared with the PMP of healthy stems. Stems were infused with pressurized water and flow rates were determined; gold particles of known size were introduced with the water to assist in determining the size of PM pores. The effect of introducing trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid (CDTA), oligogalacturonides, and polygalacturonic acid into stems on water flux via the xylem was also measured. The possibility that cell wall-degrading enzymes could alter the pore sizes, thus facilitating the ability of X. fastidiosa to cross the PMs, was tested. Two cell wall-degrading enzymes likely to be produced by X. fastidiosa (polygalactuoronase and endo-1,4- β -glucanase) were infused into stems, and particle passage tests were performed to check for changes in PMP. Scanning electron microscopy of control and enzyme-infused stem segments revealed that the combination of enzymes opened holes in PMs, probably explaining enzyme impacts on PMP and how a small X. fastidiosa population, introduced into grapevines by insect vectors, can multiply and spread throughout the vine and cause Pierce's disease. PMID:20107028

The plasmamembrane of the mature guinea pig sperm is segregated into at least four domains of different composition. Previous studies have shown that some proteins localized within these domains are free to diffuse laterally, suggesting that barriers to protein diffusion are responsible for maintaining the nonuniform distribution of at least some surface proteins in mature sperm. The different membrane domains appear sequentially during sperm morphogenesis in the testis and during later passage through the epididymis. To determine when diffusion barriers become functional during sperm development, we examined the diffusion of two proteins that are expressed on the cell surface of developing spermatids and become segregated to different plasmamembrane domains during the course of spermiogenesis. Both proteins exhibited rapid lateral diffusion throughout spermiogenesis, even after they become localized to specific regions of the surface membrane. These results suggest that barriers to membrane diffusion form concomitantly with membrane domains during spermiogenesis. Images FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2 PMID:9199813

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of chronic (0.1 mol/L ethanol exposure during 30 days) and acute (0.5 mol/L ethanol exposure during 24 h) ethanol treatment on the physical properties and the lipid composition of plasmamembranes of the WRL-68 cells (fetal human hepatic cell line). Using fluorescence polarization we found that ethanol treatment reduced membrane anisotropy due to disorganization of acyl chains in plasmamembranes and consequently increased fluidity, as measured with the diphenylhexatriene probe. Addition of ethanol in vitro reduced anisotropy in control plasmamembranes, whereas chronically ethanol-treated plasmamembranes were relatively tolerant to the in vitro addition of ethanol. Acutely ethanol-treated plasmamembranes exhibited a smaller anisotropy parameter value than control plasmamembranes. We found a decrease in total phospholipid content in acute ethanol WRL-68 plasmamembranes. Cholesterol content was increased in both ethanol treatments, and we also found a significant decrease in phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine and an increase in phosphatidylethanolamine content in ethanol-treated plasmamembranes. Our data showed that ethanol treatment decreased the anisotropy parameter consistently with increased fluidity, while increasing the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio of plasmamembranes of WRL-68 cells, but only chronically ethanol-treated plasmamembranes exhibited tolerance to the in vitro addition of ethanol. It is important to note that some changes that were interpreted as a result of chronic ethanol treatment were also present in short-period ethanol treatments. PMID:7583873

The cell wall integrity (CWI) pathway of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae relies on the detection of cell surface stress by five sensors (Wsc1, Wsc2, Wsc3, Mid2, Mtl1). Each sensor contains a single transmembrane domain and a highly mannosylated extracellular region, and probably detects mechanical stress in the cell wall or the plasmamembrane. We here studied the distribution of the five sensors at the cell surface by using fluorescently tagged variants in conjunction with marker proteins for established membrane compartments. We find that each of the sensors occupies a specific microdomain at the plasmamembrane. The novel punctate 'membrane compartment occupied by Wsc1' (MCW) shows moderate overlap with other Wsc-type sensors, but not with those of the Mid-type sensors or other established plasmamembrane domains. We further observed that sensor density and formation of the MCW compartment depends on the cysteine-rich head group near the N-terminus of Wsc1. Yet, signalling capacity depends more on the sensor density in the plasmamembrane than on clustering within its microcompartment. We propose that the MCW microcompartment provides a quality control mechanism for retaining functional sensors at the plasmamembrane to prevent them from endocytosis. PMID:27337501

The surging demand for plasma proteins, mainly driven by the growing market and the development of new therapeutic indications, is promoting manufacturers to improve the throughput of plasma proteins. Due to the inherent convective mass transfer, membrane chromatography has been proved to be an efficient approach for extracting a small amount of target proteins from large-volume feed. In this study, α1-antitrypsin (AAT) was extracted from human plasma fraction IV by a two-step membrane chromatography. An anion-exchange membrane chromatography (AEMC) was used to capture the plasma proteins in bind/elute mode, and the obtained effluent was further polished by a hydrophobic interaction membrane chromatography (HIMC) in flow-through mode. Under optimal conditions, the recovery and purity of AAT achieved 87.0% and 0.58 AAT/protein (g/g) by AEMC, respectively. After the precise polishing by HIMC, the purity of AAT was 1.22 AAT/protein (g/g). The comparison results showed that membrane chromatography outperformed column chromatography in both steps because of its high throughput. This two-step membrane chromatography could obtain an AAT recovery of 83.3% and an activity recovery of 91.4%. The outcome of this work not only offers an alternative process for protein purification from plasma, but also provides guidelines for manufacturing product from a large-volume feed with multi-components by membrane chromatography. PMID:26518493

Development of myometrium in young female rats was stimulated by administration of diethylstilboestrol. Plasmamembrane and sarcoplasmic reticulum from rat myometrium were separated by a new and rapid method using a Percoll gradient. Calcium uptake was inhibited in plasmamembrane vesicles isolated from oxytocin-treated myometrium, while no consistent effect of oxytocin was found on the Ca2+ uptake in the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Oxytocin regulated the plasmamembrane Ca2+ pump by decreasing its apparent affinity for Ca2+ without affecting its maximal velocity. The K1/2 for Ca2+ in the absence of calmodulin was 0.41 +/- 0.04 microM in normal membranes; this was increased to 0.93 +/- 0.12 microM in oxytocin-treated membranes. Calmodulin decreased the K1/2 for Ca2+ to 0.27 +/- 0.027 microM and oxytocin also increased this, to 0.46 +/- 0.061 microM. The effect of oxytocin on the plasmamembrane Ca2+ pump was highly dependent on the hormonal status of the animals. When the diethylstilboestrol was administered together with progesterone, the inhibitory action of oxytocin was totally suppressed, consistent with the expected action of this agent. The results suggest that regulation of the plasmamembrane Ca2+ pump may be important in the prolonged elevation of intracellular Ca2+ caused by oxytocin. PMID:2775210

The trafficking of ion channels to/from the plasmamembrane is considered an important mechanism for cellular activity and an interesting approach for disease therapies. The transient receptor potential vanilloid 3 (TRPV3) ion channel is widely expressed in skin keratinocytes, and its trafficking mechanism to/from the plasmamembrane is unknown. Here, we report that the vesicular trafficking protein sorting nexin 11 (SNX11) downregulates the level of the TRPV3 plasmamembrane protein. Overexpression of SNX11 causes a decrease in the level of TRPV3 current and TRPV3 plasmamembrane protein in TRPV3-transfected HEK293T cells. Subcellular localizations and western blots indicate that SNX11 interacts with TRPV3 and targets it to lysosomes for degradation, which is blocked by the lysosomal inhibitors chloroquine and leupeptin. Both TRPV3 and SNX11 are highly expressed in HaCaT cells. We show that TRPV3 agonists-activated Ca(2+) influxes and the level of native TRPV3 total protein in HaCaT cells are decreased by overexpression of SNX11 and increased by knockdown of SNX11. Our findings reveal that SNX11 promotes the trafficking of TRPV3 from the plasmamembrane to lysosomes for degradation via protein-protein interactions, which demonstrates a previously unknown function of SNX11 as a regulator of TRPV3 trafficking from the plasmamembrane to lysosomes. PMID:26818531

Remodeling of cell shape during morphogenesis is driven by the coordinated expansion and contraction of specific plasmamembrane domains. Loss of this coordination results in abnormal cell shape and embryonic lethality. Here, we show that plasmamembrane lipid composition plays a key role in coordinating plasmamembrane contraction during expansion. We found that an increase in PI(4,5)P2 levels caused premature actomyosin contraction, resulting in the formation of shortened cells. Conversely, acute depletion of PI(4,5)P2 blocked plasmamembrane expansion and led to premature actomyosin disassembly. PI(4,5)P2-mediated contractility is counteracted by PI(3,4,5)P3 and the zygotic gene bottleneck, which acts by limiting myosin recruitment during plasmamembrane expansion. Collectively, these data support a model in which the ratio of PI(4,5)P2/PI(3,4,5)P3 coordinates actomyosin contractility and plasmamembrane expansion during tissue morphogenesis, thus ensuring proper cell shape. PMID:24798734

Diffusion-time distribution analysis (DDA) has been used to explore the plasmamembrane fluidity of multidrug-resistant cancer cells (LR73 carcinoma cells) and also to characterize the influence of various membrane agents present in the extracellular medium. DDA is a recent single-molecule technique, based on fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS), well suited to retrieve local organization of cell membrane. The method was conducted on a large number of living cells, which enabled us to get a detailed overview of plasmamembrane microviscosity, and plasmamembrane micro-organization, between the cells of the same line. Thus, we clearly reveal the higher heterogeneity of plasmamembrane in multidrug-resistant cancer cells in comparison with the nonresistant ones (denoted sensitive cells). We also display distinct modifications related to a membrane fluidity modulator, benzyl alcohol, and two revertants of multidrug resistance, verapamil and cyclosporin-A. A relation between the distribution of the diffusion-time values and the modification of membrane lateral heterogeneities is proposed.

The requirement of center asymmetry for the creation of second harmonic generation (SHG) signals makes it an attractive technique for visualizing changes in interfacial layers such as the plasmamembrane of biological cells. In this article, we explore the use of lipophilic SHG probes to detect minute perturbations in the plasmamembrane. Three candidate probes, Di-4-ANEPPDHQ (Di-4), FM4-64, and all-trans-retinol, were evaluated for SHG effectiveness in Jurkat cells. Di-4 proved superior with both strong SHG signal and limited bleaching artifacts. To test whether rapid changes in membrane symmetry could be detected using SHG, we exposed cells to nanosecond-pulsed electric fields, which are believed to cause formation of nanopores in the plasmamembrane. Upon nanosecond-pulsed electric fields exposure, we observed an instantaneous drop of ~50% in SHG signal from the anodic pole of the cell. When compared to the simultaneously acquired fluorescence signals, it appears that the signal change was not due to the probe diffusing out of the membrane or changes in membrane potential or fluidity. We hypothesize that this loss in SHG signal is due to disruption in the interfacial nature of the membrane. The results show that SHG imaging has great potential as a tool for measuring rapid and subtle plasmamembrane disturbance in living cells. PMID:24853757

A rational design of squaraine dyes with lipophilic and zwitterionic groups tunes cell entry, allowing for selective far-red/near-infrared imaging of plasmamembrane vs. endoplasmic reticulum. They exhibit up to 110-fold fluorescence enhancement in biomembranes and enable cellular imaging at 1 nM concentration, which make them the brightest membrane probes to date. PMID:26455447

An accelerated method is developed for isolating a fraction of plasmamembranes of pig myometrium using ultracentrifugation within the sucrose density gradient (15% and 30%). The membranes possessed the high activity of 5'-nucleotidase and Na+, K+-ATPase and the low activity of rhotenon-insensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase. The vesicularized preparations of plasmamembranes are able of ATP-dependent accumulation of Ca2+ (7.5 +/- 0.3 nmol. 45Ca2+ per 1 mg of protein for 15 min). Phosphate increases the calcium accumulation in the presence of ATP and Mg2+. Ionophore A 23187 promotes a complete and rapid release of the previously active-accumulated calcium. The release of 45Ca2+ accumulated by the membrane fraction may be reached by introduction of 1 mM EGTA or DS-Na into the incubation medium, that evidences for the cation accumulation inside closed structures. Using concanavalin-A-sepharose 4B it is shown that 60% of membrane vesicles are turned inside out. The low saponine concentrations (0.0005%) which inhibit Ca2+-accumulation by plasmamembranes but not by the endoplasmic reticulum inhibit this process by 60-70% in preparations of the isolated membrane fraction. The method has certain advantages over the previously applied methods used for isolating of plasmamembrane fragments from smooth muscles. PMID:3016962

Hydrogen plasma-driven permeation through the superpermeable niobium membrane was investigated under bombardment of the input membrane surface with hydrogen, deuterium and helium ions with energy 0-250 eV over the range of membrane temperature 910-1420 K. The membrane surface was covered with a nonmetal monolayer generating a potential barrier responsible for the superpermeability to suprathermal hydrogen particles. Both an increase of ion energy and an increase of mass of sputtering ions result in a significant decrease of permeability due to destruction of the nonmetal monolayer, when the ion energy is higher than the threshold energy of surface film sputtering. On the contrary, the increase of the membrane temperature results in the decrease of the ion bombardment effect and in the increase of the membrane permeability due to recovery of the surface barrier through segregation of impurities dissolved in the membrane bulk onto the membrane surface. To increase the membrane ability to recover the potential barrier, oxygen was dissolved in the membrane bulk up to a concentration of 2.5 at.%. This resulted in a significant decrease of the damaging effect of ion bombardment and in the extension of the range of the membrane temperature and ion energy over which plasma-driven superpermeability was observed.

Tethers are thin membrane tubes that can be formed when relatively small and localized forces are applied to cellular membranes and lipid bilayers. Tether pulling experiments have been used to better understand the fine membrane properties. These include the interaction between the plasmamembrane and the underlying cytoskeleton, which is an important factor affecting membrane mechanics. We use a computational method aimed at the interpretation and design of tether pulling experiments in cells with a strong membrane-cytoskeleton attachment. In our model, we take into account the detailed information on the topology of bonds connecting the plasmamembrane and the cytoskeleton. We compute the force-dependent piecewise membrane deflection and bending as well as modes of stored energy in three major regions of the system: body of the tether, membrane-cytoskeleton attachment zone, and the transition zone between the two. We apply our method to three cells: cochlear outer hair cells (OHCs), human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells, and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. OHCs have a special system of pillars connecting the membrane and the cytoskeleton, and HEK and CHO cells have a bond arrangement via bonds (e.g., PIP2) which is common to many other cells. We also present a validation of our model by using experimental data on CHO and HEK cells. The proposed method can be an effective tool in the analyses of experiments to probe the properties of cellular membranes. PMID:19905340

The major integral plasmamembrane protein (IP39) of Euglena gracilis was radiolabeled, peptide mapped, and dissected with proteases to identify cytoplasmic domains that bind and anchor proteins of the cell surface. When plasmamembranes were radioiodinated and extracted with octyl glucoside, 98% of the extracted label was found in IP39 or the 68- and 110-kD oligomers of IP39. The octyl glucoside extracts were incubated with unlabeled cell surface proteins immobilized on nitrocellulose (overlays). Radiolabel from the membrane extract bound one (80 kD) of the two (80 and 86 kD) major membrane skeletal protein bands. Resolubilization of the bound label yielded a radiolabeled polypeptide identical in Mr to IP39. Intact plasmamembranes were also digested with papain before or after radioiodination, thereby producing a cytoplasmically truncated IP39. The octyl glucoside extract of truncated IP39 no longer bound to the 80-kD membrane skeletal protein in the nitrocellulose overlays. EM of intact or trypsin digested plasmamembranes incubated with membrane skeletal proteins under stringent conditions similar to those used in the nitrocellulose overlays revealed a partially reformed membrane skeletal layer. Little evidence of a membrane skeletal layer was found, however, when plasmamembranes were predigested with papain before reassociation. A candidate 80-kD binding domain of IP39 has been tentatively identified as a peptide fragment that was present after trypsin digestion of plasmamembranes, but was absent after papain digestion in two-dimensional peptide maps of IP39. Together, these data suggest that the unique peripheral membrane skeleton of Euglena binds to the plasmamembrane through noncovalent interactions between the major 80-kD membrane skeletal protein and a small, papain sensitive cytoplasmic domain of IP39.

Objectives of this project were the following: development of an enriched preparation of the red beet plasmamembrane Ca{sup 2+} ATPase in order to develop a procedure for detergent solubilization of the enzyme from the membrane using detergents, resolution by a method which could be upscaled for batch isolation, and then reconstitution into liposomes to allow characterization of Ca{sup 2+} transport by the purified enzyme and; characterization of the reaction mechanism for the coupling of nucleoside triphosphate hydrolysis to Ca{sup 2+} transport as mediated by the plasmamembrane Ca{sup 2+} ATPase.

Phosphorylation and lipidation provide posttranslational mechanisms that contribute to the distribution of cytosolic proteins in growing nerve cells. The growth-associated protein GAP43 is susceptible to both phosphorylation and S-palmitoylation and is enriched in the tips of extending neurites. However, how phosphorylation and lipidation interplay to mediate sorting of GAP43 is unclear. Using a combination of biochemical, genetic, and imaging approaches, we show that palmitoylation is required for membrane association and that phosphorylation at Ser-41 directs palmitoylated GAP43 to the plasmamembrane. Plasmamembrane association decreased the diffusion constant fourfold in neuritic shafts. Sorting to the neuritic tip required palmitoylation and active transport and was increased by phosphorylation-mediated plasmamembrane interaction. Vesicle tracking revealed transient association of a fraction of GAP43 with exocytic vesicles and motion at a fast axonal transport rate. Simulations confirmed that a combination of diffusion, dynamic plasmamembrane interaction and active transport of a small fraction of GAP43 suffices for efficient sorting to growth cones. Our data demonstrate a complex interplay between phosphorylation and lipidation in mediating the localization of GAP43 in neuronal cells. Palmitoylation tags GAP43 for global sorting by piggybacking on exocytic vesicles, whereas phosphorylation locally regulates protein mobility and plasmamembrane targeting of palmitoylated GAP43. PMID:25165142

To tune the permeability resistance of porous polycarbonate (PC) membranes for caffeine, their surfaces were plasma modified with different monomers in a grafting from process. These coatings provided characteristic surface hydrophilicities. It was found that membranes with more hydrophilic surfaces have lower resistances to let caffeine pass through than membranes with hydrophobic surfaces. Additionally, it was possible to post-modify a poly(2-aminoethyl methacrylate) (AEMA) coated PC membrane with octanoic acid (Oct) under mild conditions. This post modification allowed transforming a slightly hydrophilic PC-AEMA membrane with a moderate permeability resistance into a hydrophobic PC-AEMA-Oct membrane with a high permeability resistance. Overall, it was possible to tune the PC membrane resistance for caffeine in a range from 5100 up to 15,100 s/cm.

The inositol phospholipids, phosphatidylinositol monophosphate (PIP) and phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate (PIP{sub 2}), have been shown to increase the vanadate-sensitive ATPase activity of plant plasmamembranes. In this paper, the authors show the effect of various concentrations of phosphatidyinositol, PIP, and PIP{sub 2} on the plasmamembrane vanadate-sensitive ATPase activity. PIP and PIP{sub 2} at concentrations at 10 nanomoles per 30 microgram membrane protein per milliliter of reaction mixture caused a twofold and 1.8-fold increase in the ATPase activity, respectively. The effect of these negatively charged phospholipids on the ATPase activity was inhibited by adding the positively charged aminoglycoside, neomycin. Neomycin did not affect the endogenous plasmamembrane ATPase activity in the absence of exogenous lipids.

Since an intact membrane is required for normal cellular homeostasis, membrane repair is essential for cell survival. Human genetic studies, combined with the development of novel animal models and refinement of techniques to study cellular injury, have now uncovered series of repair proteins highly relevant for human health. Many of the deficient repair pathways manifest in skeletal muscle, where defective repair processes result in myopathies or other forms of muscle disease. Dysferlin is a membrane-associated protein implicated in sarcolemmal repair and also linked to other membrane functions including the maintenance of transverse tubules in muscle. MG53, annexins, and Eps15 homology domain-containing proteins interact with dysferlin to form a membrane repair complex and similarly have roles in membrane trafficking in muscle. These molecular features of membrane repair are not unique to skeletal muscle, but rather skeletal muscle, due to its high demands, is more dependent on an efficient repair process. Phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, as well as Ca(2+), are central regulators of membrane organization during repair. Given the importance of muscle health in disease and in aging, these pathways are targets to enhance muscle function and recovery from injury. PMID:26781830

The organization of proteins and lipids in the plasmamembrane has been subject of a long-lasting debate. Membrane rafts of higher lipid chain order were proposed to mediate protein interactions, but have thus far not been directly observed. Here, we use protein micropatterning combined with single-molecule tracking to put current models to the test: we rearranged lipid-anchored raft proteins (glycosylphosphatidylinositol(GPI)-anchored mGFP) directly in the live cell plasmamembrane and measured the effect on the local membrane environment. Intriguingly, this treatment does neither nucleate the formation of an ordered membrane phase, nor result in any enrichment of nanoscopic ordered domains within the micropatterned regions. In contrast, we find that immobilized mGFP-GPIs behave as inert obstacles to the diffusion of other membrane constituents without influencing their membrane environment over distances beyond their physical size. Our results indicate that phase partitioning is not a fundamental element of protein organization in the plasmamembrane. PMID:25897971

The organization of proteins and lipids in the plasmamembrane has been the subject of a long-lasting debate. Membrane rafts of higher lipid chain order were proposed to mediate protein interactions, but have thus far not been directly observed. Here we use protein micropatterning combined with single-molecule tracking to put current models to the test: we rearranged lipid-anchored raft proteins (glycosylphosphatidylinositol(GPI)-anchored-mGFP) directly in the live cell plasmamembrane and measured the effect on the local membrane environment. Intriguingly, this treatment does neither nucleate the formation of an ordered membrane phase nor result in any enrichment of nanoscopic-ordered domains within the micropatterned regions. In contrast, we find that immobilized mGFP-GPIs behave as inert obstacles to the diffusion of other membrane constituents without influencing their membrane environment over distances beyond their physical size. Our results indicate that phase partitioning is not a fundamental element of protein organization in the plasmamembrane. PMID:25897971

A platelet membrane preparation, enriched in plasmamembrane markers, took up /sup 45/Ca/sup 2 +/ in exchange for intravesicular Na+ and released it after the addition of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3). The possibility that contaminating dense tubular membrane (DTS) vesicles contributed the Ca/sup 2 +/ released by IP3 was eliminated by the addition of vanadate to inhibit Ca/sup +/-ATPase-mediated DTS Ca/sup 2 +/ sequestration and by the finding that only plasmamembrane vesicles exhibit Na/sup +/-dependent Ca/sup 2 +/ uptake. Ca/sup 2 +/ released by IP3 was dependent on low extravesicular Ca/sup 2 +/ concentrations. IP3-induced Ca/sup 2 +/ release was additive to that released by Na/sup +/ addition while GTP or polyethylene glycol (PEG) had no effect. These results strongly suggest that IP3 facilitates extracellular Ca/sup 2 +/ influx in addition to release from DTS membranes.

Non-thermal plasma is used here for membrane oxidation and permeabilization in which the electrical properties of an erythrocyte membrane are investigated after treatments. The zeta potential as measured by electrophoresis shows the increased negativity of the membrane surface potential (Ψs). The secondary electron emission coefficient ( γ) measured by a focused ion beam shows a decrease in the dipole potential (Ψd) of lipid molecules. The voltage-sensitive fluorescent intensity as measured by flow cytometry shows a decrease in the trans-membrane potential (ΔΨ) through the lipid bilayer membrane. These results allow us to take a step forward to unveil the complex events occurring in plasma-treated cells.

Non-equilibrium atmospheric-pressure plasma (APP) is used medically for plasma-induced cell permeabilization. However, how plasma irradiation specifically triggers permeabilization remains unclear. In an attempt to identify the dominant factor(s), the distribution of plasma-produced reactive species was investigated, primarily focusing on OH radicals. A stronger plasma discharge, which produced more OH radicals in the gas phase, also produced more OH radicals in the liquid phase (OHaq), enhancing the cell membrane permeability. In addition, plasma irradiation-induced enhancement of cell membrane permeability decreased markedly with increased solution thickness (<1 mm), and the plasma-produced OHaq decayed in solution (diffusion length on the order of several hundred micrometers). Furthermore, the horizontally center-localized distribution of OHaq corresponded with the distribution of the permeabilized cells by plasma irradiation, while the overall plasma-produced oxidizing species in solution (detected by iodine-starch reaction) exhibited a doughnut-shaped horizontal distribution. These results suggest that OHaq, among the plasma-produced oxidizing species, represents the dominant factor in plasma-induced cell permeabilization. These results enhance the current understanding of the mechanism of APP as a cell-permeabilization tool.

The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin exhibits diverse biological effects, many of which have no clear molecular mechanism. Membrane-bound receptors and enzymes are sensitive to their phospholipid microenvironment. Amphipathic indomethacin could therefore potentially modulate cell signaling by changing membrane properties. Here we examined the effect of indomethacin on membrane lateral heterogeneity. Fluorescence lifetime imaging of cells expressing lipid-anchored probes revealed that treatment of BHK cells with therapeutic levels of indomethacin enhances cholesterol-dependent nanoclustering, but not cholesterol-independent nanoclustering. Immuno-electron microscopy and quantitative spatial mapping of intact plasmamembrane sheets similarly showed a selective effect of indomethacin on promoting cholesterol-dependent, but not cholesterol-independent, nanoclustering. To further evaluate the biophysical effects of indomethacin, we measured fluorescence polarization of the phase-sensitive probe Laurdan and FRET between phase-partitioning probes in model bilayers. Therapeutic levels of indomethacin enhanced phase separation in DPPC/DOPC/Chol (1:1:1) and DPPC/Chol membranes in a temperature-dependent manner, but had minimal effect on the phase behavior of pure DOPC at any temperature. Taken together, the imaging results on intact epithelial cells and the biophysical assays of model membranes suggest that indomethacin can enhance phase separation and stabilize cholesterol-dependent nanoclusters in biological membranes. These effects on membrane lateral heterogeneity may have significant consequences for cell signaling cascades that are assembled on the plasmamembrane. PMID:20826816

The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin exhibits diverse biological effects, many of which have no clear molecular mechanism. Membrane-bound receptors and enzymes are sensitive to their phospholipid microenvironment. Amphipathic indomethacin could therefore potentially modulate cell signaling by changing membrane properties. Here we examined the effect of indomethacin on membrane lateral heterogeneity. Fluorescence lifetime imaging of cells expressing lipid-anchored probes revealed that treatment of BHK cells with therapeutic levels of indomethacin enhances cholesterol-dependent nanoclustering, but not cholesterol-independent nanoclustering. Immuno-electron microscopy and quantitative spatial mapping of intact plasmamembrane sheets similarly showed a selective effect of indomethacin on promoting cholesterol-dependent, but not cholesterol-independent, nanoclustering. To further evaluate the biophysical effects of indomethacin, we measured fluorescence polarization of the phase-sensitive probe Laurdan and FRET between phase-partitioning probes in model bilayers. Therapeutic levels of indomethacin enhanced phase seperation in DPPC/DOPC/Chol (1:1:1) and DPPC/Chol membranes in a temperature-dependent manner, but had minimal effect on the phase behavior of pure DOPC at any temperature. Taken together, the imaging results on intact epithelial cells and the biophysical assays of model membranes suggest that indomethacin can enhance phase separation and stabilize cholesterol-dependent nanoclusters in biological membranes. These effects on membrane lateral heterogeneity may have significant consequences for cell signaling cascades that are assembled on the plasmamembrane. PMID:20826816

The physiological importance of cholesterol in the cell plasmamembrane has attracted increased attention in recent years. Consequently, the use of methods of controlled manipulation of membrane cholesterol content has also increased sharply, especially as a method of studying putative cholesterol-enriched cell membrane domains (rafts). The most common means of modifying the cholesterol content of cell membranes is the incubation of cells or model membranes with cyclodextrins, a family of compounds, which, due to the presence of relatively hydrophobic cavity, can be used to extract cholesterol from cell membranes. However, the mechanism of this activity of cyclodextrins is not completely established. Moreover, under conditions commonly used for cholesterol extraction, cyclodextrins may remove cholesterol from both raft and non-raft domains of the membrane as well as alter the distribution of cholesterol between plasma and intracellular membranes. In addition, other hydrophobic molecules such as phospholipids may also be extracted from the membranes by cyclodextrins. We review the evidence for the specific and non-specific effects of cyclodextrins and what is known about the mechanisms for cyclodextrin-induced cholesterol and phospholipid extraction. Finally, we discuss useful control strategies that may help to verify that the observed effects are due specifically to cyclodextrin-induced changes in cellular cholesterol. PMID:17493580

The transport activity of the red beet (Beta vulgaris L.) plasmamembrane H+-ATPase was examined following reconstitution into a planar bilayer membrane. Fusion of partially purified plasmamembrane H+-ATPase with the bilayer membrane was accomplished by perfusion of proteoliposomes against the bilayer under hypoosmotic conditions. Following incorporation into the bilayer, an ATP-dependent current was measured that demonstrated properties consistent with those of the plasmamembrane H+-ATPase. Current production was substrate specific for ATP, inhibited by orthovanadate, and insensitive to 200 nM erythrosin B but inhibited by 100 [mu]M erythrosin B. When current production was measured as a function of Mg:ATP concentration, a simple Michaelis-Menten relationship was observed and a Km of 0.62 mM was estimated. Current-voltage analysis of ATP-dependent current in the presence of 0.5 mM ATP, 20 mM ADP, 40 mM orthophosphate, and an opposing 2.5-unit [delta]pH revealed a reversal potential of about -149 mV. Based on the free energy available from ATP hydrolysis, this reversal potential is consistent with an H+/ATP stoichiometry of 1. This study demonstrates the usefulness of a planar bilayer system for investigation of energy coupling to H+ transport by the plasmamembrane H+-ATPase. PMID:12228483

In this work the surfaces of polymeric membranes based on Nafion (proton conducting material), used in proton exchange membranes fuel cells (PEMFC) had been modified by plasma deposition of perfluored polymers, in order to improve its functioning in systems of energy generation (fuel cells). The deposition increases the chemical resistance of the proton ionic polymers without losing the electrical properties. The processing of the membranes also reduces the permeability of the membranes to the alcohols (methanol and ethanol), thus preventing poisoning of the fuel cell. The processing of the membranes of Nafion was carried through in a system of plasma deposition using a mixture of CF 4 and H 2 gases. The plasma processing was made mainly to increase the chemical resistance and result in hydrophobic surfaces. The Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) technique supplies a spectrum with information about the CF n bond formation. Through the Rutherford back scattering (RBS) technique it was possible to verify the deposition rate of the polymeric layer. The plasma process with composition of 60% of CF 4 and 40% of H 2 presented the best deposition rate. By the spectrum analysis for the optimized configuration, it was possible to verify that the film deposition occurred with a thickness of 90 nm, and fluorine concentration was nearly 30%. Voltammetry made possible to verify that the fluorination increases the membranes chemical resistance, improving the stability of Nafion, becoming an attractive process for construction of fuel cells.

Pore-forming toxins have evolved to induce membrane injury by formation of pores in the target cell that alter ion homeostasis and lead to cell death. Many pore-forming toxins use cholesterol, sphingolipids, or other raft components as receptors. However, the role of plasmamembrane organization for toxin action is not well understood. In this study, we have investigated cellular dynamics during the attack of equinatoxin II, a pore-forming toxin from the sea anemone Actinia equina, by combining time lapse three-dimensional live cell imaging, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, FRET, and fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy. Our results show that membrane binding by equinatoxin II is accompanied by extensive plasmamembrane reorganization into microscopic domains that resemble coalesced lipid rafts. Pore formation by the toxin induces Ca2+ entry into the cytosol, which is accompanied by hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, plasmamembrane blebbing, actin cytoskeleton reorganization, and inhibition of endocytosis. We propose that plasmamembrane reorganization into stabilized raft domains is part of the killing strategy of equinatoxin II. PMID:21885440

The mechanism whereby cAMP stimulates Cl(-) flux through CFTR ion channels in secretory epithelia remains controversial. It is generally accepted that phosphorylation by cAMP-dependent protein kinase increases the open probability of the CFTR channel. A more controversial hypothesis is that cAMP triggers the translocation of CFTR from an intracellular pool to the cell surface. We have monitored membrane turnover in Calu-3 cells, a cell line derived from human airway submucosal glands that expresses high levels of CFTR using membrane capacitance and FM1-43 fluorescence measurements. Using a conventional capacitance measurement technique, we observe an apparent increase in membrane capacitance in most cells that exhibit an increase in Cl(-) current. However, after we carefully correct our recordings for changes in membrane conductance, the apparent changes in capacitance are eliminated. Measurements using the fluorescent membrane marker FM1-43 also indicate that no changes in membrane turnover accompany the activation of CFTR. Robust membrane insertion can be triggered with photorelease of caged Ca(2)+ in Calu-3 cells. However, no increase in Cl(-) current accompanies Ca(2)+-evoked membrane fusion. We conclude that neither increases in cAMP or Ca(2)+ lead to transport of CFTR to the plasmamembrane in Calu-3 cells. In addition, we conclude that membrane capacitance measurements must be interpreted with caution when large changes in membrane conductance occur. PMID:11479341

The mechanism whereby cAMP stimulates Cl− flux through CFTR ion channels in secretory epithelia remains controversial. It is generally accepted that phosphorylation by cAMP-dependent protein kinase increases the open probability of the CFTR channel. A more controversial hypothesis is that cAMP triggers the translocation of CFTR from an intracellular pool to the cell surface. We have monitored membrane turnover in Calu-3 cells, a cell line derived from human airway submucosal glands that expresses high levels of CFTR using membrane capacitance and FM1–43 fluorescence measurements. Using a conventional capacitance measurement technique, we observe an apparent increase in membrane capacitance in most cells that exhibit an increase in Cl− current. However, after we carefully correct our recordings for changes in membrane conductance, the apparent changes in capacitance are eliminated. Measurements using the fluorescent membrane marker FM1–43 also indicate that no changes in membrane turnover accompany the activation of CFTR. Robust membrane insertion can be triggered with photorelease of caged Ca2+ in Calu-3 cells. However, no increase in Cl− current accompanies Ca2+-evoked membrane fusion. We conclude that neither increases in cAMP or Ca2+ lead to transport of CFTR to the plasmamembrane in Calu-3 cells. In addition, we conclude that membrane capacitance measurements must be interpreted with caution when large changes in membrane conductance occur. PMID:11479341

Advancing the design of thin-film composite membrane surfaces is one of the most promising pathways to deal with treating varying water qualities and increase their long-term stability and permeability. Although plasma technologies have been explored for surface modification of bulk micro and ultrafiltration membrane materials, the modification of thin film composite membranes is yet to be systematically investigated. Here, the performance of commercial thin-film composite desalination membranes has been significantly enhanced by rapid and facile, low pressure, argon plasma activation. Pressure driven water desalination tests showed that at low power density, flux was improved by 22% without compromising salt rejection. Various plasma durations and excitation powers have been systematically evaluated to assess the impact of plasma glow reactions on the physico-chemical properties of these materials associated with permeability. With increasing power density, plasma treatment enhanced the hydrophilicity of the surfaces, where water contact angles decreasing by 70% were strongly correlated with increased negative charge and smooth uniform surface morphology. These results highlight a versatile chemical modification technique for post-treatment of commercial membrane products that provides uniform morphology and chemically altered surface properties. PMID:27363670

Insulin stimulates glucose transport by promoting exocytosis of the glucose transporter Glut4 (refs 1, 2). The dynamic processes involved in the trafficking of Glut4-containing vesicles, and in their targeting, docking and fusion at the plasmamembrane, as well as the signalling processes that govern these events, are not well understood. We recently described tyrosine-phosphorylation events restricted to subdomains of the plasmamembrane that result in activation of the G protein TC10 (refs 3, 4). Here we show that TC10 interacts with one of the components of the exocyst complex, Exo70. Exo70 translocates to the plasmamembrane in response to insulin through the activation of TC10, where it assembles a multiprotein complex that includes Sec6 and Sec8. Overexpression of an Exo70 mutant blocked insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, but not the trafficking of Glut4 to the plasmamembrane. However, this mutant did block the extracellular exposure of the Glut4 protein. So, the exocyst might have a crucial role in the targeting of the Glut4 vesicle to the plasmamembrane, perhaps directing the vesicle to the precise site of fusion. PMID:12687004

The exocyst complex, an effector of Rho and Rab GTPases, is believed to function as an exocytotic vesicle tether at the plasmamembrane before soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complex formation. Exocyst subunits localize to secretory-active regions of the plasmamembrane, exemplified by the outer domain of Arabidopsis root epidermal cells. Using variable-angle epifluorescence microscopy, we visualized the dynamics of exocyst subunits at this domain. The subunits colocalized in defined foci at the plasmamembrane, distinct from endocytic sites. Exocyst foci were independent of cytoskeleton, although prolonged actin disruption led to changes in exocyst localization. Exocyst foci partially overlapped with vesicles visualized by VAMP721 v-SNARE, but the majority of the foci represent sites without vesicles, as indicated by electron microscopy and drug treatments, supporting the concept of the exocyst functioning as a dynamic particle. We observed a decrease of SEC6-green fluorescent protein foci in an exo70A1 exocyst mutant. Finally, we documented decreased VAMP721 trafficking to the plasmamembrane in exo70A1 and exo84b mutants. Our data support the concept that the exocyst-complex subunits dynamically dock and undock at the plasmamembrane to create sites primed for vesicle tethering. PMID:23283982

Advancing the design of thin-film composite membrane surfaces is one of the most promising pathways to deal with treating varying water qualities and increase their long-term stability and permeability. Although plasma technologies have been explored for surface modification of bulk micro and ultrafiltration membrane materials, the modification of thin film composite membranes is yet to be systematically investigated. Here, the performance of commercial thin-film composite desalination membranes has been significantly enhanced by rapid and facile, low pressure, argon plasma activation. Pressure driven water desalination tests showed that at low power density, flux was improved by 22% without compromising salt rejection. Various plasma durations and excitation powers have been systematically evaluated to assess the impact of plasma glow reactions on the physico-chemical properties of these materials associated with permeability. With increasing power density, plasma treatment enhanced the hydrophilicity of the surfaces, where water contact angles decreasing by 70% were strongly correlated with increased negative charge and smooth uniform surface morphology. These results highlight a versatile chemical modification technique for post-treatment of commercial membrane products that provides uniform morphology and chemically altered surface properties. PMID:27363670

The exocyst complex, an effector of Rho and Rab GTPases, is believed to function as an exocytotic vesicle tether at the plasmamembrane before soluble N-ethylmaleimide–sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complex formation. Exocyst subunits localize to secretory-active regions of the plasmamembrane, exemplified by the outer domain of Arabidopsis root epidermal cells. Using variable-angle epifluorescence microscopy, we visualized the dynamics of exocyst subunits at this domain. The subunits colocalized in defined foci at the plasmamembrane, distinct from endocytic sites. Exocyst foci were independent of cytoskeleton, although prolonged actin disruption led to changes in exocyst localization. Exocyst foci partially overlapped with vesicles visualized by VAMP721 v-SNARE, but the majority of the foci represent sites without vesicles, as indicated by electron microscopy and drug treatments, supporting the concept of the exocyst functioning as a dynamic particle. We observed a decrease of SEC6–green fluorescent protein foci in an exo70A1 exocyst mutant. Finally, we documented decreased VAMP721 trafficking to the plasmamembrane in exo70A1 and exo84b mutants. Our data support the concept that the exocyst-complex subunits dynamically dock and undock at the plasmamembrane to create sites primed for vesicle tethering. PMID:23283982

Advancing the design of thin-film composite membrane surfaces is one of the most promising pathways to deal with treating varying water qualities and increase their long-term stability and permeability. Although plasma technologies have been explored for surface modification of bulk micro and ultrafiltration membrane materials, the modification of thin film composite membranes is yet to be systematically investigated. Here, the performance of commercial thin-film composite desalination membranes has been significantly enhanced by rapid and facile, low pressure, argon plasma activation. Pressure driven water desalination tests showed that at low power density, flux was improved by 22% without compromising salt rejection. Various plasma durations and excitation powers have been systematically evaluated to assess the impact of plasma glow reactions on the physico-chemical properties of these materials associated with permeability. With increasing power density, plasma treatment enhanced the hydrophilicity of the surfaces, where water contact angles decreasing by 70% were strongly correlated with increased negative charge and smooth uniform surface morphology. These results highlight a versatile chemical modification technique for post-treatment of commercial membrane products that provides uniform morphology and chemically altered surface properties.

The plasmamembrane of the fungal pathogen Candida albicans forms a protective barrier that also mediates many processes needed for virulence, including cell wall synthesis, invasive hyphal morphogenesis, and nutrient uptake. Because compartmentalization of the plasmamembrane is believed to coordinate these diverse activities, we examined plasmamembrane microdomains termed eisosomes or membrane compartment of Can1 (MCC), which correspond to ∼200-nm-long furrows in the plasmamembrane. A pil1∆ lsp1∆ mutant failed to form eisosomes and displayed strong defects in plasmamembrane organization and morphogenesis, including extensive cell wall invaginations. Mutation of eisosome proteins Slm2, Pkh2, and Pkh3 did not cause similar cell wall defects, although pkh2∆ cells formed chains of furrows and pkh3∆ cells formed wider furrows, identifying novel roles for the Pkh protein kinases in regulating furrows. In contrast, the sur7∆ mutant formed cell wall invaginations similar to those for the pil1∆ lsp1∆ mutant even though it could form eisosomes and furrows. A PH-domain probe revealed that the regulatory lipid phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate was enriched at sites of cell wall invaginations in both the sur7∆ and pil1∆ lsp1∆ cells, indicating that this contributes to the defects. The sur7∆ and pil1∆ lsp1∆ mutants displayed differential susceptibility to various types of stress, indicating that they affect overlapping but distinct functions. In support of this, many mutant phenotypes of the pil1∆ lsp1∆ cells were rescued by overexpressing SUR7. These results demonstrate that C. albicans eisosomes promote the ability of Sur7 to regulate plasmamembrane organization. PMID:27009204

When considering which components of the cell are the most critical to function and physiology, we naturally focus on the nucleus, the mitochondria that regulate energy and apoptotic signaling, or other organelles such as the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, ribosomes, etc. Few people will suggest that the membrane is the most critical element of a cell in terms of function and physiology. Those that consider the membrane critical will point to its obvious barrier function regulated by the lipid bilayer and numerous ion channels that regulate homeostatic gradients. What becomes evident upon closer inspection is that not all membranes are created equal and that there are lipid-rich microdomains that serve as platforms of signaling and a means of communication with the intracellular environment. In this review, we explore the evolution of membranes, focus on lipid-rich microdomains, and advance the novel concept that membranes serve as "capacitors for energy and metabolism." Within this framework, the membrane then is the primary and critical regulator of stress and disease adaptation of the cell. PMID:26771520

Among the fuel cell technologies, the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are particularly promising because they are energy-efficient, clean, and fuel-flexible (i.e., can use hydrogen or methanol). The great majority of PEM fuel cells rely on a polymer electrolyte from the family of perfluorosulfonic acid membranes, nevertheless alternative materials are currently being developed, mainly to offer the alternative workout techniques which are required for the portable energy sources. Plasma polymerization represents a good solution, as it offers the possibility to deposit thin layer with an accurate and homogeneous thickness, even on 3D surfaces. In this paper, we present the results for the growth of proton conductive fluoro carboxylic membranes elaborated by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition. These membranes present conductivity values of the same order than the one of Nafion ®. The properties of the membrane, such as the chemical composition, the ionic conductivity, the swelling behaviour and the permeability were correlated to the plasma process parameters. The membranes were integrated in fuel cells on porous substrates and we present here the results regarding the barrier effect and the power output. Barrier effect similar to those of 40 μm Nafion ® layers was reached for 10 μm thick carboxylic membranes. Power outputs around 3 mW cm -2 were measured. We discuss the results regarding the gas barrier effect and the power outputs.

Molecular dynamics (MD) calculations of lipid bilayers modeling the plasmamembranes of normal mouse hepatocytes and hepatomas in water have been performed under physiological isothermal-isobaric conditions (310.15 K and 1 atm). The changes in the membrane properties induced by hepatic canceration were investigated and were compared with previous MD calculations included in our previous study of the changes in membrane properties induced by murine thymic canceration. The calculated model membranes for normal hepatocytes and hepatomas comprised 23 and 24 kinds of lipids, respectively. These included phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol, sphingomyelin, lysophospholipids, and cholesterol. We referred to previously published experimental values for the mole fraction of the lipids adopted in the present calculations. The calculated structural and dynamic properties of the membranes such as lateral structure, order parameters, lateral self-diffusion constants, and rotational correlation times all showed that hepatic canceration causes plasmamembranes to become more ordered laterally and less fluid. Interestingly, this finding contrasts with the less ordered structure and increased fluidity of plasmamembranes induced by thymic canceration observed in our previous MD study.

Lipid mixtures within artificial membranes undergo a separation into liquid-disordered and liquid-ordered phases. However, the existence of this segregation into microscopic liquid-ordered phases has been difficult to prove in living cells, and the precise organization of the plasmamembrane into such phases has not been elucidated in plant cells. We developed a multispectral confocal microscopy approach to generate ratiometric images of the plasmamembrane surface of Bright Yellow 2 tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) suspension cells labeled with an environment sensitive fluorescent probe. This allowed the in vivo characterization of the global level of order of this membrane, by which we could demonstrate that an increase in its proportion of ordered phases transiently occurred in the early steps of the signaling triggered by cryptogein and flagellin, two elicitors of plant defense reactions. The use of fluorescence recovery after photobleaching revealed an increase in plasmamembrane fluidity induced by cryptogein, but not by flagellin. Moreover, we characterized the spatial distribution of liquid-ordered phases on the membrane of living plant cells and monitored their variations induced by cryptogein elicitation. We analyze these results in the context of plant defense signaling, discuss their meaning within the framework of the "membrane raft" hypothesis, and propose a new mechanism of signaling platform formation in response to elicitor treatment. PMID:24235133

Lipid mixtures within artificial membranes undergo a separation into liquid-disordered and liquid-ordered phases. However, the existence of this segregation into microscopic liquid-ordered phases has been difficult to prove in living cells, and the precise organization of the plasmamembrane into such phases has not been elucidated in plant cells. We developed a multispectral confocal microscopy approach to generate ratiometric images of the plasmamembrane surface of Bright Yellow 2 tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) suspension cells labeled with an environment sensitive fluorescent probe. This allowed the in vivo characterization of the global level of order of this membrane, by which we could demonstrate that an increase in its proportion of ordered phases transiently occurred in the early steps of the signaling triggered by cryptogein and flagellin, two elicitors of plant defense reactions. The use of fluorescence recovery after photobleaching revealed an increase in plasmamembrane fluidity induced by cryptogein, but not by flagellin. Moreover, we characterized the spatial distribution of liquid-ordered phases on the membrane of living plant cells and monitored their variations induced by cryptogein elicitation. We analyze these results in the context of plant defense signaling, discuss their meaning within the framework of the “membrane raft” hypothesis, and propose a new mechanism of signaling platform formation in response to elicitor treatment. PMID:24235133

The impact of five different imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) diluted in water on the properties of a bacterial plasmamembrane is investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Cations considered are 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium (OMIM), 1-octyloxymethyl-3-methylimidazolium (OXMIM), and 1-tetradecyl-3-methylimidazolium (TDMIM), as well as the anions chloride and lactate. The atomistic model of the membrane bilayer is designed to reproduce the lipid composition of the plasmamembrane of Gram-negative Escherichia coli. Spontaneous insertion of cations into the membrane is observed in all ILs. Substantially more insertions of OMIM than of OXMIM occur and the presence of chloride reduces cation insertions compared to lactate. In contrast, anions do not adsorb onto the membrane surface nor diffuse into the bilayer. Once inserted, cations are oriented in parallel to membrane lipids with cation alkyl tails embedded into the hydrophobic membrane core, while the imidazolium-ring remains mostly exposed to the solvent. Such inserted cations are strongly associated with one to two phospholipids in the membrane. The overall order of lipids decreased after OMIM and OXMIM insertions, while on the contrary the order of lipids in the vicinity of TDMIM increased. The short alkyl tails of OMIM and OXMIM generate voids in the bilayer that are filled by curling lipids. This cation induced lipid disorder also reduces the average membrane thickness. This effect is not observed after TDMIM insertions due to the similar length of cation alkyl chain and the fatty acids of the lipids. This lipid-mimicking behavior of inserted TDMIM indicates a high membrane affinity of this cation that could lead to an enhanced accumulation of cations in the membrane over time. Overall, the simulations reveal how cations are inserted into the bacterial membrane and how such insertions change its properties. Moreover, the different roles of cations and anions are highlighted and the fundamental

For the first time, the effect of asymmetry of the membrane transport was studied for organic solvents and solutes upon their nanofiltration through the plasma-modified membranes based on poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) (PTMSP). Plasma treatment is shown to provide a marked hydrophilization of the hydrophobic PTMSP surface (the contact angle of water decreases from 88 down to 20°) and leads to the development of a negative charge of -5.2 nC/cm(2). The XPS measurements prove the formation of the oxygen-containing groups (Si-O and C-O) due to the surface modification. The AFM images show that the small-scale surface roughness of the plasma-treated PTMSP sample is reduced but the large-scale surface heterogeneities become more pronounced. The modified membranes retain their hydrophilic surface properties even after the nanofiltration tests and 30-day storage under ambient conditions. The results of the filtration tests show that when the membrane is oriented so that its modified layer contacts the feed solution, the membrane permeability for linear alcohols (methanol-propanol) and acetone decreases nearly two times. When the modified membrane surface faces the permeate, the membrane is seen to regain its transport characteristics: the flux becomes equal to that of the unmodified PTMSP. The well-pronounced effect of the transport asymmetry is observed for the solution of the neutral dye Solvent Blue 35 in methanol, ethanol, and acetone. For example, the initial membrane shows the negative retention for the Solvent Blue 35 dye (-16%) upon its filtration from the ethanol solution whereas, for the modified PTMSP membrane, the retention increases up to 17%. Various effects contributing to the asymmetry of the membrane transport characteristics are discussed. PMID:25482845

It has long been recognized that cationic nanoparticles induce cell membrane permeability. Recently, it has been found that cationic nanoparticles induce the formation and/or growth of nanoscale holes in supported lipid bilayers. In this paper, we show that noncytotoxic concentrations of cationic nanoparticles induce 30-2000 pA currents in 293A (human embryonic kidney) and KB (human epidermoid carcinoma) cells, consistent with a nanoscale defect such as a single hole or group of holes in the cell membrane ranging from 1 to 350 nm(2) in total area. Other forms of nanoscale defects, including the nanoparticle porating agents adsorbing onto or intercalating into the lipid bilayer, are also consistent; although the size of the defect must increase to account for any reduction in ion conduction, as compared to a water channel. An individual defect forming event takes 1-100 ms, while membrane resealing may occur over tens of seconds. Patch-clamp data provide direct evidence for the formation of nanoscale defects in living cell membranes. The cationic polymer data are compared and contrasted with patch-clamp data obtained for an amphiphilic phenylene ethynylene antimicrobial oligomer (AMO-3), a small molecule that is proposed to make well-defined 3.4 nm holes in lipid bilayers. Here, we observe data that are consistent with AMO-3 making approximately 3 nm holes in living cell membranes. PMID:19606833

Rate of enlargement of epidermal cells from soybean, when measured at intervals of 1 min using a light microscope equipped with a video measurement system, oscillated with a period length of about 24 min. This oscillation parallels the 24-min periodicity observed for the oxidation of NADH by the external plasmamembrane NADH oxidase. The increase in length was not only non-linear, but intervals of rapid increase in area alternated with intervals of rapid decrease in area. The length of the period was temperature compensated, and was approximately the same when measured at 14, 24 and 34 degrees C even though the rate of cell enlargement varied over this same range of temperatures. These observations represent the first demonstration of an oscillatory growth behavior correlated with a biochemical activity where the period length of both is independent of temperature (temperature compensated) as is the hallmark of clock-related biological phenomena.

The dopaminergic system is essential for cognitive processes, including reward, attention and motor control. In addition to DA release and availability of synaptic DA receptors, timing and magnitude of DA neurotransmission depend on extracellular DA-level regulation by the dopamine transporter (DAT), the membrane expression and trafficking of which are highly dynamic. Data presented here from real-time TIRF (TIRFM) and confocal microscopy coupled with surface biotinylation and electrophysiology suggest that changes in the membrane potential alone, a universal yet dynamic cellular property, rapidly alter trafficking of DAT to and from the surface membrane. Broadly, these findings suggest that cell-surface DAT levels are sensitive to membrane potential changes, which can rapidly drive DAT internalization from and insertion into the cell membrane, thus having an impact on the capacity for DAT to regulate extracellular DA levels. PMID:26804245

Tumor-specific antigen was extracted with 3 M KCl from line-10 guinea pig hepatoma cells. The yield of antigenic activity, estimated by production of delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions in line-10 immune guinea pigs, was 10-30% of the antigen present in intact cells. By ultracentrifugation criteria, the extracted antigen was soluble. Gel filtration, ion exchange chromatography, and salting-out studies showed that the antigen was heterogeneous in size and net charge. The possibility that 3 M KCl extracted a homogeneous population of molecules associating into polymers of various sizes at low ionic strength was ruled out by heterogeneity on Sephadex G-200 chromatography at high ionic strength. After osmotic lysis of sucrose-loaded line-10 cells, whole plasmamembranes or large membrane fragments were obtained in a yield of about 20%. The isolation procedure did not cause detectable loss of membrane antigenic activity. The membranes had 33 skin test U/mg membrane protein, compared to the intact cell value of 1.7 skin test U/mg cell protein. Extracts of plasmamembranes had 10-20% of the antigenic activity of the starting membrane material. In contrast to the wide variety of proteins liberated from intact cells, much of the protein extracted from the membranes was in the molecular weight range above 250,000. PMID:169367

A small pointed hollow anode and large tabular cathode are used in enhanced glow discharge plasma immersion ion implantation (EGD-PIII). Electrons are repelled from the substrate by the electric field formed by the negative voltage pulses and concentrate in the vicinity of the anode to enhance the self-glow discharge process. To extend the application of EGD-PIII to plasma gases with low ionization rates, an insulating tube is used to increase the interaction path for electrons and neutrals in order to enhance the discharge near the anode. Results obtained from numerical simulation based on the particle-in-cell code, finite element method, and experiments show that this configuration enhances the ionization rate and subsequent ion implant fluence. The process is especially suitable for gases that have low ionization rates such as hydrogen and helium.

Fusogenic carrot cells grown in suspension culture were labeled 12 hours with myo-(2-/sup 3/H)inositol. Plasmamembranes were isolated from the prelabeled fusogenic carrot cells by both aqueous polymer two-phase partitioning and Renografin density gradients. With both methods, the plasmamembrane-enriched fractions, as identified by marker enzymes, were enriched in (/sup 3/H)inositol-labeled phosphatidylinositol monophosphate (PIP) and phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate (PIP/sub 2/). An additional (/sup 3/H)inositol-labeled lipid, lysophosphatidylinositol monophosphate, which migrated between PIP and PIP/sub 2/ on thin layer plates, was found primarily in the plasmamembrane-rich fraction of the fusogenic cells. This was in contrast to lysophosphatidylinositol which is found primarily in the lower phase, microsomal/mitchrondrial-rich fraction.

Endocannabinoids are readily accumulated from the extracellular space by cells. Although their uptake properties have the appearance of a process of facilitated diffusion, it is by no means clear as to whether there is a plasmamembrane transporter dedicated to this task. Intracellular carrier proteins that shuttle the endocannabinoid anandamide from the plasmamembrane to its intracellular targets such as the metabolic enzyme, fatty acid amide hydrolase, have been identified. These include proteins with other primary functions, such as fatty-acid-binding proteins and heat shock protein 70, and possibly a fatty acid amide hydrolase-like anandamide transporter protein. Thus, anandamide uptake can be adequately described as a diffusion process across the plasmamembrane followed by intracellular carrier-mediated transport to effector molecules, catabolic enzymes and sequestration sites, although it is recognized that different cells are likely to utilize different mechanisms of endocannabinoid transport depending upon the utility of the endocannabinoid for the cell in question. PMID:23441874

After synaptic vesicle fusion, vesicle proteins must be segregated from plasmamembrane proteins and recycled to maintain a functional vesicle pool. We monitored the distribution of synaptobrevin, a vesicle protein required for exocytosis, in Caenorhabditis elegans motor neurons by using a pH-sensitive synaptobrevin GFP fusion protein, synaptopHluorin. We estimated that 30% of synaptobrevin was present in the plasmamembrane. By using a panel of endocytosis and exocytosis mutants, we found that the majority of surface synaptobrevin derives from fusion of synaptic vesicles and that, in steady state, synaptobrevin equilibrates throughout the axon. The surface synaptobrevin was enriched near active zones, and its spatial extent was regulated by the clathrin adaptin AP180. These results suggest that there is a plasmamembrane reservoir of synaptobrevin that is supplied by the synaptic vesicle cycle and available for retrieval throughout the axon. The size of the reservoir is set by the relative rates of exo- and endocytosis. PMID:16844789

The cell wall provides external support of the plant cells, while the cytoskeletons including the microtubules and the actin filaments constitute an internal framework. The cytoskeletons contribute to the cell wall biosynthesis by spatially and temporarily regulating the transportation and deposition of cell wall components. This tight control is achieved by the dynamic behavior of the cytoskeletons, but also through the tethering of these structures to the plasmamembrane. This tethering may also extend beyond the plasmamembrane and impact on the cell wall, possibly in the form of a feedback loop. In this review, we discuss the linking components between the cytoskeletons and the plasmamembrane, and/or the cell wall. We also discuss the prospective roles of these components in cell wall biosynthesis and modifications, and aim to provide a platform for further studies in this field. PMID:25693826

The binding of human epidermal growth factor (hEGF), beta-urogastrone, to plasmamembranes isolated from rat gastric mucosa was studied to characterize gastric EGF receptors. The binding of ({sup 125}I)hEGF was temperature dependent, reversible, and saturable. A single class of binding sites for EGF with a dissociation constant of 0.42 nM and maximal binding capacity of 42 fmol/mg protein was suggested. There was little change in the binding of ({sup 125}I)hEGF upon addition of peptide hormones (secretin, insulin), antiulcer drugs (cimetidine), or an ulcer-inducing reagent (aspirin). Cross-linking of ({sup 125}I)hEGF to gastric plasmamembranes with the use of disuccinimidyl suberate resulted in the labeling of a protein of 150 kDa. These results indicate the presence of EGF receptors on plasmamembranes of rat gastric mucosa.

Calcium overload is one of the important mechanisms of cardiovascular disease. Endoplasmic reticulum is an important organelle which regulates intracellular calcium homeostasis by uptake, storage and mobilization of calcium. So it plays a critical role in regulation of intracellular calcium homeostasis. Endoplasmic reticulum, which is widely distributed in cytoplasm, has a large number of membrane junction sites. Recent studies have reported that these junction sites are distributed on plasmamembrane and organelle membranes (mitochondria, lysosomes, Golgi apparatus, etc.), separately. They could form complexes to regulate calcium transport. In this review, we briefly outlined the recent research progresses of endoplasmic reticulum-plasmamembrane junctions in intracellular calcium homeostasis and cardiovascular disease, which may offer a new strategy for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. PMID:27546511

Plasmamembrane-derived vesicles are being used in biophysical and biochemical research as a simple, yet native-like model of the cellular membrane. Here we report on the characterization of vesicles produced via two different vesiculation methods from CHO and A431 cell lines. The first method is a recently developed method which utilizes chloride salts to induce osmotic vesiculation. The second is a well established chemical vesiculation method which uses DTT and formaldehyde. We show that both vesiculation methods produce vesicles which contain the lipid species previously reported in the plasmamembrane of these cell lines. The two methods lead to small but statistically significant differences in two lipid species only; phosphatidylcholine (PC) and plasmalogen phosphatidylethanolamine (PEp). However, highly significant differences were observed in the degree of incorporation of a membrane receptor and in the degree of retention of soluble cytosolic proteins within the vesicles. PMID:25896659

Low-temperature plasma treatment was adopted to graft styrene onto polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) powder, which is widely used in the fabrication of proton exchange membrane (PEM). The grafted PTFE powder was sulfonated in chlorosulfonic acid and fabricated into a membrane, which was used as inexpensive PEM material for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy attenuated total reflection spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis were used to characterize the structure of the sulfonated PTFE powder. The results showed that all the PTFE powders were successfully grafted by nitrogen plasma and then sulfonated under such experimental conditions. A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image indicated that the fabricated membrane exhibits flat morphology and homogenous structure. The ion exchange capacity (IEC) of this kind of PEM was also investigated.

Plant cellulose microfibrils are synthesized by a process that propels the cellulose synthase complex (CSC) through the plane of the plasmamembrane. How interactions between membranes and the CSC are regulated is currently unknown. Here, we demonstrate that all catalytic subunits of the CSC, known as cellulose synthase A (CESA) proteins, are S-acylated. Analysis of Arabidopsis CESA7 reveals four cysteines in variable region 2 (VR2) and two cysteines at the carboxy terminus (CT) as S-acylation sites. Mutating both the VR2 and CT cysteines permits CSC assembly and trafficking to the Golgi but prevents localization to the plasmamembrane. Estimates suggest that a single CSC contains more than 100 S-acyl groups, which greatly increase the hydrophobic nature of the CSC and likely influence its immediate membrane environment. PMID:27387950

It has been shown that modestly increasing plasmamembrane cholesterol beyond its physiological set point greatly increases the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial pools, thereby eliciting manifold feedback responses that return cell cholesterol to its resting state. The question arises whether this homeostatic mechanism reflects the targeting of cell surface cholesterol to specific intracellular sites or its general equilibration among the organelles. We now show that human fibroblast cholesterol can be increased as much as two-fold from 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin without changing the size of the cell surface pool. Rather, essentially all of the added cholesterol disperses rapidly among cytoplasmic membranes, increasing their overall cholesterol content by as much as five-fold. We conclude that the level of plasmamembrane cholesterol is normally at capacity and that even small increments above this physiological set point redistribute essentially entirely to intracellular membranes, perhaps down their chemical activity gradients. PMID:25014655

Cold atmospheric plasma is thought to be a promising tool for numerous biomedical applications due to its ability to generate a large diversity of reactive species in a controlled way. In some cases, it can also generate pulsed electric fields at the zone of treatment, which can induce processes such as electroporation in cell membranes. However, the interaction of these reactive species and the pulse electric field with cells in a physiological medium is very complex, and we still need a better understanding in order to be useful for future applications. A way to reach this goal is to work with model cell membranes such as liposomes, with the simplest physiological liquid and in a controlled atmosphere in order to limit the number of parallel reactions and processes. In this paper, where this approach has been chosen, 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) small unilamellar vesicles (SUV) have been synthesized in a phosphate buffered aqueous solution, and this solution has been treated by a nanosecond pulsed plasma jet under a pure nitrogen atmosphere. It is only the composition of the plasma gas that has been changed in order to generate different cocktails of reactive species. After the quantification of the main plasma reactive species in the phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution, structural, surface charge state, and chemical modifications generated on the plasma treated liposomes, due to the interaction with the plasma reactive species, have been carefully characterized. These results allow us to further understand the effect of plasma reactive species on model cell membranes in physiological liquids. The permeation through the liposomal membrane and the reaction of plasma reactive species with molecules encapsulated inside the liposomes have also been evaluated. New processes of degradation are finally presented and discussed, which come from the specific conditions of plasma treatment under the pure nitrogen atmosphere.

We demonstrated recently that a fraction of the matrix (M) protein of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) binds tightly to cellular membranes in vivo when expressed in the absence of other VSV proteins. This membrane-associated M protein was functional in binding purified VSV nucleocapsids in vitro. Here we show that the membrane-associated M protein is largely associated with a membrane fraction having the density of plasmamembranes, indicating membrane specificity in the binding. In addition, we analyzed truncated forms of M protein to identify regions responsible for membrane association and nucleocapsid binding. Truncated M protein lacking the amino-terminal basic domain still associated with cellular membranes, although not as tightly as wild-type M protein, and could not bind nucleocapsids. In contrast, deletion of the carboxy-terminal 14 amino acids did not disrupt stable membrane association or nucleocapsid interaction. These results suggest that the amino terminus of M protein either interacts directly with membranes and nucleocapsids or stabilizes a conformation that is required for M protein to mediate both of these interactions. Images PMID:8254754

In plants, Na+/H+ exchangers in the plasmamembrane are critical for growth in high levels of salt, removing toxic Na+ from the cytoplasm by transport out of the cell. The molecular identity of a plasmamembrane Na+/H+ exchanger in Arabidopsis (SOS1) has recently been determined. In this study, immunological analysis provided evidence that SOS1 localizes to the plasmamembrane of leaves and roots. To characterize the transport activity of this protein, purified plasmamembrane vesicles were isolated from leaves of Arabidopsis. Na+/H+ exchange activity, monitored as the ability of Na to dissipate an established pH gradient, was absent in plants grown without salt. However, exchange activity was induced when plants were grown in 250 mm NaCl and increased with prolonged salt exposure up to 8 d. H+-coupled exchange was specific for Na, because chloride salts of other monovalent cations did not dissipate the pH gradient. Na+/H+ exchange activity was dependent on Na (substrate) concentration, and kinetic analysis indicated that the affinity (apparent Km) of the transporter for Na+ is 22.8 mm. Data from two experimental approaches supports electroneutral exchange (one Na+ exchanged for one proton): (a) no change in membrane potential was measured during the exchange reaction, and (b) Na+/H+ exchange was unaffected by the presence or absence of a membrane potential. Results from this research provide a framework for future studies into the regulation of the plant plasmamembrane Na+/H+ exchanger and its relative contribution to the maintenance of cellular Na+ homeostasis during plant growth in salt. PMID:12805632

The principal goal of our program is to provide a mechanistic understanding of the cellular and molecular aspects of freezing injury and cold acclimation from a perspective of the structural and functional integrity of the plasmamembrane -- the primary site of freezing injury in winter cereals. Our immediate goals are (1) to provide an understanding of the mechanism by which freeze-induced dehydration affects the formation of aparticulate domains and lamellar-to-hexagonal{sub {parallel}} phase transitions in the plasmamembrane of NA protoplasts, (2) to characterize the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which cold acclimation and cryoprotectants preclude or diminish these alterations in the plasmamembrane of ACC protoplasts and (3) to elucidate the molecular basis for the lesion that limits the maximum freezing tolerance of cold-acclimated winter rye and which is believed to be the formation of domains of interdigitated lipids in the L{sub {beta}} phase. This past year our efforts have included (a) characterization of the ultrastructural changes in the plasmamembrane that are associated with freezing injury of protoplasts isolated from cold-acclimated rye leaves; (b) determinations of the hydration characteristics of plasmamembrane lipids and model lipid mixtures, including the thermal dependence of the hydration characteristics; (c) studies of dehydration-induced phase transitions and demixing in model systems of plasmamembrane lipids; (d) differential scanning calorimetry studies to determine the amount of freezable/unfreezable water that is associated with lipids; and (e) preliminary cryo-SEM observations of in situ ice formation in rye leaves. 11 refs.

Arabinogalactan-proteins (AGPs) have been purified from the plasmamembrane of suspension-cultured Paul's Scarlet rose (Rosa sp.) cells. The two most abundant and homogeneous plasmamembrane AGP fractions were named plasmamembrane AGP1 (PM-AGP1) and plasmamembrane AGP2 (PM-AGP2) and had apparent molecular masses of 140 and 217 kD, respectively. Both PM-AGP1 and PM-AGP2 had [beta]-(1-3)-, [beta]-(1,6)-, and [beta]-(1,3,6)-galactopyranosyl residues, predominantly terminal [alpha]-arabinofuranosyl residues, and (1,4)- and terminal glucuronopyranosyl residues. The protein moieties of PM-AGP1 and PM-AGP2 were both rich in hydroxyproline, alanine, and serine, but differed in the abundance of hydroxyproline, which was 1.6 times higher in PM-AGP2 than in PM-AGP1. Another difference was the overall protein content, which was 3.7% (w/w) in PM-AGP1 and 15% in PM-AGP2. As judged by their behavior on reverse-phase chromatography, PM-AGP1 and PM-AGP2 were not more hydrophobic than AGPs from the cell wall or culture medium. In contrast, a minor plasmamembrane AGP fraction eluted later on reverse-phase chromatography and was more negatively charged at pH 5 than either PM-AGP1 or PM-AGP2. The more negatively charged fraction contained molecules with a glycosyl composition characteristic of AGPs and included at least two different macromolecules. The results of this investigation indicate that Rosa plasmamembrane contains at least four distinct AGPs or AGP-like molecules. These molecules differed from each other in size, charge, hydrophobicity, amino-acyl composition, and/or protein content. PMID:12226444

Background Activation by extracellular ligands of G protein-coupled (GPCRs) and tyrosine kinase receptors (RTKs), results in the generation of second messengers that in turn control specific cell functions. Further, modulation/amplification or inhibition of the initial signalling events, depend on the recruitment onto the plasmamembrane of soluble protein effectors. High throughput methodologies to monitor quantitatively second messenger production, have been developed over the last years and are largely used to screen chemical libraries for drug development. On the contrary, no such high throughput methods are yet available for the other aspect of GPCRs regulation, i.e. protein translocation to the plasmamembrane, despite the enormous interest of this phenomenon for the modulation of receptor downstream functions. Indeed, to date, the experimental procedures available are either inadequate or complex and expensive. Results Here we describe the development of a novel conceptual approach to the study of cytosolic proteins translocation to the inner surface of the plasmamembrane. The basis of the technique consists in: i) generating chimeras between the protein of interests and the calcium (Ca2+)-sensitive, luminescent photo-protein, aequorin and ii) taking advantage of the large Ca2+ concentration [Ca2+] difference between bulk cytosolic and the sub-plasmamembrane rim. Conclusion This approach, that keeps unaffected the translocation properties of the signalling protein, can in principle be applied to any protein that, upon activation, moves from the cytosol to the plasmamembrane. Thus, not only the modulation of GPCRs and RTKs can be investigated in this way, but that of all other proteins that can be recruited to the plasmamembrane also independently of receptor activation. Moreover, its automated version, which can provide information about the kinetics and concentration-dependence of the process, is also applicable to high throughput screening of drugs

Modification of our previous procedure for the isolation of microsomal membrane vesicles from red beet (Beta vulgaris L.) storage tissue allowed the recovery of sealed membrane vesicles displaying proton transport activity sensitive to both nitrate and orthovanadate. In the absence of a high salt concentration in the homogenization medium, contributions of nitrate-sensitive (tonoplast) and vanadate-sensitive (plasmamembrane) proton transport were roughly equal. The addition of 0.25 M KCl to the homogenization medium increased the relative amount of nitrate-inhibited proton transport activity while the addition of 0.25 M KI resulted in proton pumping vesicles displaying inhibition by vanadate but stimulation by nitrate. These effects appeared to result from selective sealing of either plasmamembrane or tonoplast membrane vesicles during homogenization in the presence of the two salts. Following centrifugation on linear sucrose gradients it was shown that the nitrate-sensitive, proton-transporting vesicles banded at low density and comigrated with nitrate-sensitive ATPase activity while the vanadate-sensitive, proton-transporting vesicles banded at a much higher density and comigrated with vanadate-sensitive ATPase. The properties of the vanadate-sensitive proton pumping vesicles were further characterized in microsomal membrane fractions produced by homogenization in the presence of 0.25 M KI and centrifugation on discontinuous sucrose density gradients. Proton transport was substrate specific for ATP, displayed a sharp pH optimum at 6.5, and was insensitive to azide but inhibited by N'-N-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, diethylstilbestrol, and fluoride. The Km of proton transport for Mg:ATP was 0.67 mM and the K0.5 for vanadate inhibition was at about 50 microM. These properties are identical to those displayed by the plasmamembrane ATPase and confirm a plasmamembrane origin for the vesicles.

The number of glucose transporters was measured in isolated membranes from diabetic-rat skeletal muscle to determine the role of circulating blood glucose levels in the control of glucose uptake into skeletal muscle. Three experimental groups of animals were investigated in the post-absorptive state: normoglycaemic/normoinsulinaemic, hyperglycaemic/normoinsulinaemic and hyperglycaemic/normoinsulinaemic made normoglycaemic/normoinsulinaemic by phlorizin treatment. Hyperglycaemia caused a reversible decrease in total transporter number, as measured by cytochalasin B binding, in both plasmamembranes and internal membranes of skeletal muscle. Changes in GLUT4 glucose transporter protein mirrored changes in cytochalasin B binding in plasmamembranes. However, there was no recovery of GLUT4 levels in intracellular membranes with correction of glycaemia. GLUT4 mRNA levels decreased with hyperglycaemia and recovered only partially with correction of glycaemia. Conversely, GLUT1 glucose transporters were only detectable in the plasmamembranes; the levels of this protein varied directly with glycaemia, i.e. in the opposite direction to GLUT4 glucose transporters. This study demonstrates that hyperglycaemia, in the absence of hypoinsulinaemia, is capable of down-regulating the glucose transport system in skeletal muscle, the major site of peripheral resistance to insulin-stimulated glucose transport in diabetes. Furthermore, correction of hyperglycaemia causes a complete restoration of the transport system in the basal state (determined by the transporter number in the plasmamembrane), but possibly only an incomplete recovery of the transport system's ability to respond to insulin (since there is no recovery of GLUT4 levels in the intracellular membrane insulin-responsive transporter pool). Finally, the effect of hyperglycaemia is specific for glucose transporter isoforms, with GLUT1 and GLUT4 proteins varying respectively in parallel and opposite directions to levels of

As factors that influence cell membrane permeabilization during direct and indirect atmospheric-pressure plasma irradiation, charged particle influx, superoxide anion radicals (O2 ‑•), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in plasma-irradiated solution were evaluated. These are the three strong candidate factors and might multiply contribute to cell membrane permeabilization. In particular, a shorter plasma diffusion distance leads to the enhancement of the direct effects such as charged particle influx and further increase cell membrane permeability. In addition, O2 ‑• dissipates over time (a life span of the order of minutes) in plasma-irradiated water, and the deactivation of a plasma-irradiated solution in term of cell membrane permeabilization occurs in a life span of the same order. These results could promote the understanding of the mechanism of plasma-induced cell membrane permeabilization.

Thin-film composite membranes, primarily based on poly(amide) (PA) semipermeable materials, are nowadays the dominant technology used in pressure driven water desalination systems. Despite offering superior water permeation and salt selectivity, their surface properties, such as their charge and roughness, cannot be extensively tuned due to the intrinsic fabrication process of the membranes by interfacial polymerization. The alteration of these properties would lead to a better control of the materials surface zeta potential, which is critical to finely tune selectivity and enhance the membrane materials stability when exposed to complex industrial waste streams. Low pressure plasma was employed to introduce amine functionalities onto the PA surface of commercially available thin-film composite (TFC) membranes. Morphological changes after plasma polymerization were analyzed by SEM and AFM, and average surface roughness decreased by 29%. Amine enrichment provided isoelectric point changes from pH 3.7 to 5.2 for 5 to 15 min of plasma polymerization time. Synchrotron FTIR mappings of the amine-modified surface indicated the addition of a discrete 60 nm film to the PA layer. Furthermore, metal affinity was confirmed by the enhanced binding of silver to the modified surface, supported by an increased antimicrobial functionality with demonstrable elimination of E. coli growth. Essential salt rejection was shown minimally compromised for faster polymerization processes. Plasma polymerization is therefore a viable route to producing functional amine enriched thin-film composite PA membrane surfaces. PMID:26083007

The plasmamembrane is the first line of cell defense against changes in external environment, thus its integrity and functionality are of utmost importance. The plasmamembrane properties depend on both its protein and lipid composition. The PDR16 gene is involved in the control of Kluyveromyces lactis susceptibility to drugs and alkali metal cations. It encodes the homologue of the major K. lactis phosphatidylinositol transfer protein Sec14p. Sec14p participates in protein secretion, regulation of lipid synthesis, and turnover in vivo. We report here that the plasmamembrane of the Klpdr16Δ mutant is hyperpolarized and its fluidity is lower than that of the parental strain. In addition, protoplasts prepared from the Klpdr16Δ cells display decreased stability when subjected to hypo-osmotic conditions. These changes in membrane properties lead to an accumulation of radiolabeled fluconazole and lithium cations inside mutant cells. Our results point to the fact that the PDR16 gene of K. lactis (KlPDR16) influences the plasmamembrane properties in K. lactis that lead to subsequent changes in susceptibility to a broad range of xenobiotics. PMID:25742422

Signaling cascades are initiated in the plasmamembrane via activation of one molecule by another. The interaction depends on the mutual availability of the molecules to each other and this is determined by their localization and lateral diffusion in the cell membrane. The cytoskeleton plays a very important role in this process by enhancing or restricting the possibility of the signaling partners to meet in the plasmamembrane. In this study we explored the mode of diffusion of the cAMP receptor, cAR1, in the plasmamembrane of Dictyostelium discoideum cells and how this is regulated by the cytoskeleton. Single-particle tracking of fluorescently labeled cAR1 using total internal reflection microscopy showed that 70% of the cAR1 molecules were mobile. These receptors showed directed motion and we demonstrate that this is not because of tracking along the actin cytoskeleton. Instead, destabilization of the microtubules abolished cAR1 mobility in the plasmamembrane and this was confirmed by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. As a result of microtubule stabilization, one of the first downstream signaling events, the jump of the PH domain of CRAC, was decreased. These results suggest a role for microtubules in cAR1 dynamics and in the ability of cAR1 molecules to interact with their signaling partners. PMID:21334306

The binding of anti-DNA antibodies to the endothelial cell is mediated through DNA, which forms a bridge between the immunoglobulin and the plasmamembrane. We have shown that 32P-labelled DNA bound to the plasmamembrane of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) by a saturable process, which could be competitively inhibited by non-radiolabelled DNA. In addition, DNA-binding was enhanced in HUVEC that had been treated with IL-1 alpha or tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). DNA-binding proteins of mol. wt 46,000, 92,000, and 84,000 were identified by the binding of 32P-labelled DNA to plasmamembrane proteins separated on SDS-PAGE. DNA-binding proteins of mol. wt 46,000 and 84,000 were also present in the cytosol and nucleus. Murine anti-DNA MoAb410 bound to a single band, at mol. wt 46,000, of plasmamembrane protein, in the presence of DNA. Our results showed that DNA-binding proteins are present in different cellular fractions of endothelial cells. DNA-binding proteins on the cell membrane could participate in the in situ formation of immune deposits; and their presence in the cell nucleus suggests a potential role in the modulation of cell function. Images Fig. 3 Fig. 4 PMID:8419070

As for most cell–cell fusion events, the molecular details of membrane fusion during yeast mating are poorly understood. The multipass membrane protein Prm1 is the only known component that acts at the step of bilayer fusion. In its absence, mutant mating pairs lyse or arrest in the mating reaction with tightly apposed plasmamembranes. We show that deletion of FIG 1, which controls pheromone-induced Ca2+ influx, yields similar cell fusion defects. Although extracellular Ca2+ is not required for efficient cell fusion of wild-type cells, cell fusion in prm1 mutant mating pairs is dramatically reduced when Ca2+ is removed. This enhanced fusion defect is due to lysis. Time-lapse microscopy reveals that fusion and lysis events initiate with identical kinetics, suggesting that both outcomes result from engagement of the fusion machinery. The yeast synaptotagmin orthologue and Ca2+ binding protein Tcb3 has a role in reducing lysis of prm1 mutants, which opens the possibility that the observed role of Ca2+ is to engage a wound repair mechanism. Thus, our results suggest that Prm1 and Fig1 have a role in enhancing membrane fusion and maintaining its fidelity. Their absence results in frequent mating pair lysis, which is counteracted by Ca2+-dependent membrane repair. PMID:17151357

The plasmamembranes of protoplasts released from carrot suspension culture cells were labeled with [14C]acetyl-concanavalin A. After homogenization a single labeled membrane fraction was isolated in a continuous isopycnic Renografin gradient. The labeled membranes peaked at an apparent density of 1.14 grams per cubic centimeter between the Golgi fraction at a density of 1.11 grams per cubic centimeter as determined by latent IDPase activity and the mitochondria at a density of 1.16 grams per cubic centimeter as determined by the cytochrome c oxidase activity. This method provided a very discrete peak of putative plasmamembrane. On discontinuous Renografin gradients a relatively pure fraction of labeled plasmamembranes could be readily isolated at the 1.122 to 1.146 grams per cubic centimeter interface. The labeled fraction was enriched in both an ATPase (pH 6.5) and a glucan synthetase with a pH optimum of 6.5 whose activity was promoted by magnesium and cellobiose. Enzyme activities were not altered by the membrane label. PMID:16661082

The in situ assembly states of the glucose transport carrier protein in the plasmamembrane and in the intracellular (microsomal) storage pool of rat adipocytes were assessed by studying radiation-induced inactivation of the D-glucose-sensitive cytochalasin B binding activities. High energy radiation inactivated the glucose-sensitive cytochalasin B binding of each of these membrane preparations by reducing the total number of the binding sites without affecting the dissociation constant. The reduction in total number of binding sites was analyzed as a function of radiation dose based on target theory, from which a radiation-sensitive mass (target size) was calculated. When the plasmamembranes of insulin-treated adipocytes were used, a target size of approximately 58,000 daltons was obtained. For adipocyte microsomal membranes, we obtained target sizes of approximately 112,000 and 109,000 daltons prior to and after insulin treatment, respectively. In the case of microsomal membranes, however, inactivation data showed anomalously low radiation sensitivities at low radiation doses, which may be interpreted as indicating the presence of a radiation-sensitive inhibitor. These results suggest that the adipocyte glucose transporter occurs as a monomer in the plasmamembrane while existing in the intracellular reserve pool either as a homodimer or as a stoichiometric complex with a protein of an approximately equal size.

In exocrine organs such as the salivary glands, fluids and proteins are secreted into ductal structures by distinct mechanisms that are tightly coupled. In the acinar cells, the major secretory units of the salivary glands, fluids are secreted into the acinar canaliculi through paracellular and intracellular transport, whereas proteins are stored in large granules that undergo exocytosis and fuse with the apical plasmamembranes releasing their content into the canaliculi. Both secretory processes elicit a remodeling of the apical plasmamembrane that has not been fully addressed in in vitro or ex vivo models. Recently, we have studied regulated exocytosis in the salivary glands of live rodents, focusing on the role that actin and myosin plays in this process. We observed that during exocytosis both secretory granules and canaliculi are subjected to the hydrostatic pressure generated by fluid secretion. Furthermore, the absorption of the membranes of the secretory granules contributes to the expansion and deformation of the canaliculi. Here we suggest that the homeostasis of the apical plasmamembranes during exocytosis is maintained by various strategies that include: (1) membrane retrieval via compensatory endocytosis, (2) increase of the surface area via membrane folds and (3) recruitment of a functional actomyosin complex. Our observations underscore the important relationship between tissue architecture and cellular response, and highlight the potential of investigating biological processes in vivo by using intravital microscopy. PMID:22754613

Plasmamembrane vesicles were isolated from zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) hypocotyl tissue by aqueous phase partitioning and assessed for homogeneity by the use of membrane-specific enzyme assays. The highly pure plasmamembrane vesicles maintained a pH differential across the membrane and accumulated a tritiated azido analogue of 3-indoleacetic acid (IAA), 5-azido-(7-{sup 3}H)IAA(({sup 3}H)N{sub 3}IAA), in a manner similar to the accumulation of ({sup 3}H)IAA. The association of the ({sup 3}H)N{sub 3}IAA with membrane vesicles was saturable and subject to competition by IAA and auxin analogues. Auxin-binding proteins were photoaffinity labeled by addition of ({sup 3}H)N{sub 3}IAA to plasmamembrane vesicles prior to exposure to UV light and detected by subsequent NaDodSO{sub 4}/PAGE and fluorography. When the reaction temperature was lowered to {minus}196{degree}C, high-specific-activity labeling of a 40-kDa and a 42-kDa polypeptide was observed. Collectively, these results suggest that the radiolabeled polypeptides are auxin receptors. The covalent nature of the label should facilitate purification and further characterization of the receptors.

Imaging fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and the related FCS diffusion law have been applied in recent years to investigate the diffusion modes of lipids and proteins in membranes. These efforts have provided new insights into the membrane structure below the optical diffraction limit, new information on the existence of lipid domains, and on the influence of the cytoskeleton on membrane dynamics. However, there has been no systematic study to evaluate how domain size, domain density, and the probe partition coefficient affect the resulting imaging FCS diffusion law parameters. Here, we characterize the effects of these factors on the FCS diffusion law through simulations and experiments on lipid bilayers and live cells. By segmenting images into smaller 7 × 7 pixel areas, we can evaluate the FCS diffusion law on areas smaller than 2 µm and thus provide detailed maps of information on the membrane structure and heterogeneity at this length scale. We support and extend this analysis by deriving a mathematical expression to calculate the mean squared displacement (MSDACF) from the autocorrelation function of imaging FCS, and demonstrate that the MSDACF plots depend on the existence of nanoscopic domains. Based on the results, we derive limits for the detection of domains depending on their size, density, and relative viscosity in comparison to the surroundings. Finally, we apply these measurements to bilayers and live cells using imaging total internal reflection FCS and single plane illumination microscopy FCS.

Membrane protein interactions with lipids are crucial for their native biological behavior, yet traditional characterization methods are often carried out on purified protein in the absence of lipids. We present a simple method to transfer membrane proteins expressed in mammalian cells to an assay-friendly, cushioned, supported lipid bilayer platform using cell blebs as an intermediate. Cell blebs, expressing either GPI-linked yellow fluorescent proteins or neon-green fused transmembrane P2X2 receptors, were induced to rupture on glass surfaces using PEGylated lipid vesicles, which resulted in planar supported membranes with over 50% mobility for multipass transmembrane proteins and over 90% for GPI-linked proteins. Fluorescent proteins were tracked, and their diffusion in supported bilayers characterized, using single molecule tracking and moment scaling spectrum (MSS) analysis. Diffusion was characterized for individual proteins as either free or confined, revealing details of the local lipid membrane heterogeneity surrounding the protein. A particularly useful result of our bilayer formation process is the protein orientation in the supported planar bilayer. For both the GPI-linked and transmembrane proteins used here, an enzymatic assay revealed that protein orientation in the planar bilayer results in the extracellular domains facing toward the bulk, and that the dominant mode of bleb rupture is via the "parachute" mechanism. Mobility, orientation, and preservation of the native lipid environment of the proteins using cell blebs offers advantages over proteoliposome reconstitution or disrupted cell membrane preparations, which necessarily result in significant scrambling of protein orientation and typically immobilized membrane proteins in SLBs. The bleb-based bilayer platform presented here is an important step toward integrating membrane proteomic studies on chip, especially for future studies aimed at understanding fundamental effects of lipid interactions

Oleoylanilide was administered orally to groups of rats according to different patterns. Oleoylanilide was perfused at different concentrations through rat liver. Oleoylanilide was added to isolated hepatocytes. Oleoylanilide was added to plasma-membrane preparations. Membrane preparations were obtained after experiments performed in vivo and perfusion experiments and, by using 1,6-diphenylhexa-1,3,5-triene as fluorescence probe, the fluorescence polarization parameter was measured, from which the microviscosity (eta) was calculated. In all cases the microviscosity decreased markedly. Addition of oleoylanilide to hepatocyte preparations and to isolated membranes produced the same effect, increasing the fluidity of the membranes. These data suggest that oleoylanilide partitions into the membrane, disordering some lipid interactions. PMID:6712608

There is cross-tolerance between ethanol and several centrally acting drugs at the membrane level. In order to evaluate cross-tolerance between maternal smoking during pregnancy and alcohol, the authors have prepared plasmamembranes of human term placentas from nonsmokers (NS, n=5) and smokers (S, 24 {plus minus} 8 cigarettes/day, n=5) and studied their microviscosities by steady state fluorescence polarization using trans-1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene as a fluorescent probe. These experiments gave the following results: (a) microviscosity was increased by maternal smoking; (b) alcohol decreased microviscosity of the membranes of smokers; (c) exogenous nicotine did not exert any significant effect on the membranes of smokers and nonsmokers. Therefore, the increase in the rigidity of placental plasmamembranes is due to chronic smoking, and these membranes are tolerant to the fluidizing effects of alcohol. Cross-tolerance between smoking and ethanol suggests a common hydrophobic locus of the apparent adaptation at the membrane level.

The volume of isolated protoplasts of rye (Secale cereale L. cv Puma) in a suspending solution at constant concentration is shown to be negligibly changed by tensions in the plasmamembrane which approach that tension necessary to lyse them. This allows a detailed investigation of the plasmamembrane stress-strain relation by micropipette aspiration. Over periods less than a second, the membrane behaves as an elastic two-dimensional fluid with an area modulus of elasticity of 230 millinewtons per meter. Over longer periods, the stress-strain relation approaches a surface energy law—the resting tension is independent of area and has a value of the order 100 micronewtons per meter. Over longer periods the untensioned area, which is defined as the area that would be occupied by the molecules in the membrane at any given time if the tension were zero, increases with time under large imposed tensions and decreases under sufficiently small tension. It is proposed that these long term responses are the result of exchange of material between the plane of the membrane and a reservoir of membrane material. The irreversibility of large contractions in area is demonstrated directly, and the behavior of protoplasts during osmotically induced cycles of contraction and expansion is explained in terms of the membrane stress-strain relation. Images Fig. 2 PMID:16662817

Often, high-sensitivity, point-of-care (POC) clinical tests, such as HIV viral load, require large volumes of plasma. Although centrifuges are ubiquitously used in clinical laboratories to separate plasma from whole blood, centrifugation is generally inappropriate for on-site testing. Suitable alternatives are not readily available to separate the relatively large volumes of plasma from milliliters of blood that may be needed to meet stringent limit-of-detection specifications for low-abundance target molecules. We report on a simple-to-use, low-cost, pump-free, membrane-based, sedimentation-assisted plasma separator capable of separating a relatively large volume of plasma from undiluted whole blood within minutes. This plasma separator consists of an asymmetric, porous, polysulfone membrane housed in a disposable chamber. The separation process takes advantage of both gravitational sedimentation of blood cells and size exclusion-based filtration. The plasma separator demonstrated a "blood in-plasma out" capability, consistently extracting 275 ± 33.5 μL of plasma from 1.8 mL of undiluted whole blood within less than 7 min. The device was used to separate plasma laden with HIV viruses from HIV virus-spiked whole blood with recovery efficiencies of 95.5% ± 3.5%, 88.0% ± 9.5%, and 81.5% ± 12.1% for viral loads of 35,000, 3500, and 350 copies/mL, respectively. The separation process is self-terminating to prevent excessive hemolysis. The HIV-laden plasma was then injected into our custom-made microfluidic chip for nucleic acid testing and was successfully subjected to reverse-transcriptase loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), demonstrating that the plasma is sufficiently pure to support high-efficiency nucleic acid amplification. PMID:24099566

Insertion of helix-forming segments into the membrane and their association determines the structure, function, and expression levels of all plasmamembrane proteins. However, systematic and reliable quantification of membrane-protein energetics has been challenging. We developed a deep mutational scanning method to monitor the effects of hundreds of point mutations on helix insertion and self-association within the bacterial inner membrane. The assay quantifies insertion energetics for all natural amino acids at 27 positions across the membrane, revealing that the hydrophobicity of biological membranes is significantly higher than appreciated. We further quantitate the contributions to membrane-protein insertion from positively charged residues at the cytoplasm-membrane interface and reveal large and unanticipated differences among these residues. Finally, we derive comprehensive mutational landscapes in the membrane domains of Glycophorin A and the ErbB2 oncogene, and find that insertion and self-association are strongly coupled in receptor homodimers. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.12125.001 PMID:26824389

One major mechanism of copper toxicity towards microorganisms is disruption of plasmamembrane integrity. In this study, the influence of plasmamembrane fatty acid composition on the susceptibility of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Cu2+ toxicity was investigated. Microbial fatty acid composition is highly variable, depending on both intrinsic and environmental factors. Manipulation was achieved in this study by growth in fatty acid-supplemented medium. Whereas cells grown under standard conditions contained only saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, considerable incorporation of the diunsaturated fatty acid linoleate (18:2) (to more than 65% of the total fatty acids) was observed in both whole-cell homogenates and plasmamembrane-enriched fractions from cells grown in linoleate-supplemented medium. Linoleate enrichment had no discernible effect on the growth of S. cerevisiae. However, linoleate-enriched cells were markedly more susceptible to copper-induced plasmamembrane permeabilization. Thus, after addition of Cu(NO3)2, rates of cellular K+ release (loss of membrane integrity) were at least twofold higher from linoleate-supplemented cells than from unsupplemented cells; this difference increased with reductions in the Cu2+ concentration supplied. Levels of cellular Cu accumulation were also higher in linoleate-supplemented cells. These results were correlated with a very marked dependence of whole-cell Cu2+ toxicity on cellular fatty acid unsaturation. For example, within 10 min of exposure to 5 microM Cu2+, only 3% of linoleate-enriched cells remained viable (capable of colony formation). In contrast, 100% viability was maintained in cells previously grown in the absence of a fatty acid supplement. Cells displaying intermediate levels of linoleate incorporation showed intermediate Cu2+ sensitivity, while cells enriched with the triunsaturated fatty acid linolenate (18:3) were most sensitive to Cu2+. These results demonstrate for the first time that changes

Gangliosides are acidic glycosphingolipids that contain sialic acid residues and are expressed in nearly all vertebrate cells. They are synthesized at the Golgi complex by a combination of glycosyltransferase activities followed by vesicular delivery to the plasmamembrane, where they participate in a variety of physiological as well as pathological processes. Recently, a number of enzymes of ganglioside anabolism and catabolism have been shown to be associated with the plasmamembrane. In particular, it was observed that CMP-NeuAc:GM3 sialyltransferase (Sial-T2) is able to sialylate GM3 at the plasmamembrane (cis-catalytic activity). In this work, we demonstrated that plasmamembrane-integrated ecto-Sial-T2 also displays a trans-catalytic activity at the cell surface of epithelial and melanoma cells. By using a highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay combined with confocal fluorescence microscopy, we observed that ecto-Sial-T2 was able to sialylate hydrophobically or covalently immobilized GM3 onto a solid surface. More interestingly, we observed that ecto-Sial-T2 was able to sialylate GM3 exposed on the membrane of neighboring cells by using both the exogenous and endogenous donor substrate (CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid) available at the extracellular milieu. In addition, the trans-activity of ecto-Sial-T2 was considerably reduced when the expression of the acceptor substrate was inhibited by using a specific inhibitor of biosynthesis of glycolipids, indicating the lipidic nature of the acceptor. Our findings provide the first direct evidence that an ecto-sialyltransferase is able to trans-sialylate substrates exposed in the plasmamembrane from mammalian cells, which represents a novel insight into the molecular events that regulate the local glycosphingolipid composition. PMID:21768099

Gangliosides are acidic glycosphingolipids that contain sialic acid residues and are expressed in nearly all vertebrate cells. They are synthesized at the Golgi complex by a combination of glycosyltransferase activities followed by vesicular delivery to the plasmamembrane, where they participate in a variety of physiological as well as pathological processes. Recently, a number of enzymes of ganglioside anabolism and catabolism have been shown to be associated with the plasmamembrane. In particular, it was observed that CMP-NeuAc:GM3 sialyltransferase (Sial-T2) is able to sialylate GM3 at the plasmamembrane (cis-catalytic activity). In this work, we demonstrated that plasmamembrane-integrated ecto-Sial-T2 also displays a trans-catalytic activity at the cell surface of epithelial and melanoma cells. By using a highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay combined with confocal fluorescence microscopy, we observed that ecto-Sial-T2 was able to sialylate hydrophobically or covalently immobilized GM3 onto a solid surface. More interestingly, we observed that ecto-Sial-T2 was able to sialylate GM3 exposed on the membrane of neighboring cells by using both the exogenous and endogenous donor substrate (CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid) available at the extracellular milieu. In addition, the trans-activity of ecto-Sial-T2 was considerably reduced when the expression of the acceptor substrate was inhibited by using a specific inhibitor of biosynthesis of glycolipids, indicating the lipidic nature of the acceptor. Our findings provide the first direct evidence that an ecto-sialyltransferase is able to trans-sialylate substrates exposed in the plasmamembrane from mammalian cells, which represents a novel insight into the molecular events that regulate the local glycosphingolipid composition. PMID:21768099

Highlights: •Dielectrophoretic separation/sorting of multipotent cells. •Plasmamembrane microvilli structure of C2C12 and fibroblasts by SEM microscopy. •Cell cycle determination by Ki-67 in DEP-sorted cells. •Plasmamembrane differences responsible for changes in membrane capacitance. -- Abstract: Multipotent progenitor cells have shown promise for use in biomedical applications and regenerative medicine. The implementation of such cells for clinical application requires a synchronized, phenotypically and/or genotypically, homogenous cell population. Here we have demonstrated the implementation of a biological tag-free dielectrophoretic device used for discrimination of multipotent myoblastic C2C12 model. The multipotent capabilities in differentiation, for these cells, diminishes with higher passage number, so for cultures above 70 passages only a small percentage of cells is able to differentiate into terminal myotubes. In this work we demonstrated that we could recover, above 96% purity, specific cell types from a mixed population of cells at high passage number without any biological tag using dielectrophoresis. The purity of the samples was confirmed by cytometric analysis using the cell specific marker embryonic myosin. To further investigate the dielectric properties of the cell plasmamembrane we co-culture C2C12 with similar size, when in suspension, GFP-positive fibroblast as feeder layer. The level of separation between the cell types was above 98% purity which was confirmed by flow cytometry. These levels of separation are assumed to account for cell size and for the plasmamembrane morphological differences between C2C12 and fibroblast unrelated to the stages of the cell cycle which was assessed by immunofluorescence staining. Plasmamembrane conformational differences were further confirmed by scanning electron microscopy.

Plasmamembrane proteolipid protein (PM-PLP) synthesis was examined in embryonic rat neurons and neonatal rat glial cells during differentiation in culture. Glial cultures were treated with 1 mM N6, O2, dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate (dbcAMP) following confluency to induce differentiation, which resulted in the elaboration of long cellular processes. However, no changes in the biosynthetic level of PM-PLP was observed during the differentiation of these cells. Neurons differentiated spontaneously in culture, forming cellular aggregates immediately following plating and elaborating a network of neurites over 7 days. The differentiation of neurons was accompanied by a seven-fold increase in PM-PLP synthesis with increases in biosynthetic increase in PM-PLP synthesis with increases in biosynthetic rate observed between days 1 and 3 and between days 3 and 7 in culture. Ultrastructural examination of neurons indicated that the Golgi apparatus was also developing during this period of time, with an increase in both the number of lamellae and generation of vesicles. The transport of PM-PLP to the plasmamembrane was therefore examined in neurons at day 7 in culture by pulse labeling experiments with monensin and colchicine. Monensin (1 microM) was found to inhibit the appearance of radiolabeled PM-PLP in the plasmamembrane by 63%, indicating that a functional Golgi apparatus is required for transport of PM-PLP to its target membrane. Colchicine (125 microM) also inhibited the appearance of newly synthesized PM-PLP in the plasmamembrane by greater than 40%, suggesting that microtubules may also be required for PM-PLP transport to the plasmamembrane. PMID:3016181

Ultrashort electric pulses (USEP) cause long-lasting increase of cell membrane electrical conductance, and that a single USEP increased cell membrane electrical conductance proportionally to the absorbed dose (AD) with a threshold of about 10 mJ/g. The present study extends quantification of the membrane permeabilization effect to multiple USEP and employed a more accurate protocol that identified USEP effect as the difference between post- and pre-exposure conductance values (Δg) in individual cells. We showed that Δg can be increased by either increasing the number of pulses at a constant E-field, or by increasing the E-field at a constant number of pulses. For 60-ns pulses, an E-field threshold of 6 kV/cm for a single pulse was lowered to less than 1.7 kV/cm by applying 100-pulse or longer trains. However, the reduction of the E-field threshold was only achieved at the expense of a higher AD compared to a single pulse exposure. Furthermore, the effect of multiple pulses was not fully determined by AD, suggesting that cells permeabilized by the first pulse(s) in the train become less vulnerable to subsequent pulses. This explanation was corroborated by a model that treated multiple-pulse exposures as a series of single-pulse exposures and assumed an exponential decline of cell susceptibility to USEP as Δg increased after each pulse during the course of the train. PMID:20171148

Plasmamembrane vesicles were isolated from zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) hypocotyl tissue by aqueous phase partitioning and assessed for homogeneity by the use of membrane-specific enzyme assays. The highly pure (ca. 95%) plasmamembrane vesicles maintained a pH differential across the membrane and accumulated a tritiated azido analogue of 3-indoleacetic acid (IAA), 5-azido-[7-3H]IAA ([3H]N3IAA), in a manner similar to the accumulation of [3H]IAA. The association of the [3H]N3IAA with membrane vesicles was saturable and subject to competition by IAA and auxin analogues. Auxin-binding proteins were photoaffinity labeled by addition of [3H]N3IAA to plasmamembrane vesicles prior to exposure to UV light (15 sec; 300 nm) and detected by subsequent NaDodSO4/PAGE and fluorography. When the reaction temperature was lowered to -196 degrees C, high-specific-activity labeling of a 40-kDa and a 42-kDa polypeptide was observed. Triton X-100 (0.1%) increased the specific activity of labeling and reduced the background, which suggests that the labeled polypeptides are intrinsic membrane proteins. The labeled polypeptides are of low abundance, as expected for auxin receptors. Further, the addition of IAA and auxin analogues to the photoaffinity reaction mixture resulted in reduced labeling that was qualitatively similar to their effects on the accumulation of radiolabeled IAA in membrane vesicles. Collectively, these results suggest that the radiolabeled polypeptides are auxin receptors. The covalent nature of the label should facilitate purification and further characterization of the receptors.

The electrophysiological properties of cytoplasm-rich fragments (single membrane samples) prepared from internodal cells of Chara corallina were explored in conjunction with K+-sensitive microelectrode and current-voltage (I-V) measurements. This system eliminated the problem of the inaccessible cytoplasmic layer, while preserving many of the electrical characteristics of the intact cells. In 0.1 millimolar external K concentration (Ko+), the resting conductance (membrane conductance Gm, 0.85 ± 0.25 Siemens per square meter (±standard error)) of the single membrane samples, was dominated by the proton pump, as suggested by the response of the near-linear I-V characteristic to changes in external pH. Initial cytoplasmic K+ activities (aK+), judged most reliable, gave values of 117 ± 67 millimolar; stable aK+ values were 77 ± 31 millimolar. Equilibrium potentials for K+ (Nernst equilibrium potential) (EK) calculated, using either of these data sets, were near the mean membrane potential (Vm). On a cell-to-cell basis, however, EK was generally negative of the Vm, despite an electrogenic contribution from the Chara proton pump. When Ko+ was increased to 1.0 millimolar or above, Gm rose (by 8- to 10-fold in 10 millimolar Ko+), the steady state I-V characteristics showed a region of negative slope conductance, and Vm followed EK. These results confirm previous studies which implicated a Ko+-induced and voltage-dependent permeability to K+ at the Chara plasmamembrane. They provide an explanation for transitions between apparent Ko+-insensitive and Ko+-sensitive (`K+ electrode') behavior displayed by the membrane potential, as recorded in many algae and higher plant cells. PMID:16665044

Waveguide evanescent field fluorescence microscopy (WEFF) is a novel microscopy technology that allows imaging of a cell's plasmamembrane in the vicinity of a glass substrate with high axial resolution, low background and little photobleaching. Time-lapse imaging can be performed to investigate changes in cell morphology in the presence or absence of chemical agents. WEFF microscopy provides a method to investigate plasmamembranes of living cells and allows a comparison to simplified model membranes immobilized on planar substrates. The interaction of the nonionic detergent Triton X-100 with plasmamembranes of osteoblasts in an aqueous environment was investigated. Solubilization of the membranes very close to the waveguide surface was visualized and related to the three-stage solubilisation model proposed for liposomes and supported lipid bilayers. Findings for the plasmamembranes of cells are in excellent agreement with results reported for these artificial model systems.

A fluorogenic probe for plasmamembrane proteins based on the dye Nile Red and SNAP-tag is introduced. It takes advantage of Nile Red, a solvatochromic molecule highly fluorescent in an apolar environment, such as cellular membranes, but almost dark in a polar aqueous environment. The probe possesses a tuned affinity for membranes allowing its Nile Red moiety to insert into the lipid bilayer of the plasmamembrane, becoming fluorescent, only after its conjugation to a SNAP-tagged plasmamembrane protein. The fluorogenic character of the probe was demonstrated for different SNAP-tag fusion proteins, including the human insulin receptor. This work introduces a new approach for generating a powerful turn-on probe for "no-wash" labeling of plasmamembrane proteins with numerous applications in bioimaging. PMID:24471525

Colchicine is beneficial in the treatment of cirrhotic patients, it prevents changes in plasmamembrane bound enzymes induced by CCl4 intoxication. In this study, lipid composition and microviscosity were measured in liver plasmamembranes isolated from rats given CCl4. Microviscosity values increased in rats given CCl4 for six weeks but fell considerably in those given CCl4 for 10 weeks. Both these changes were absent when colchicine was given with CCl4. The cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratios and lipid peroxide values increased but plasmamembrane phospholipids, the length of fatty acyl chains, and the unsaturation index fell significantly after CCl4 intoxication. Colchicine treatment also prevented these changes. Changes in the lipid composition of liver plasmamembranes were significantly correlated with lipid peroxidation. Colchicine prevents changes in the physicochemical properties of liver plasmamembranes induced by longterm CCl4 treatment, probably by blocking peroxidation of unsaturated fatty acids. PMID:8244117

Junctate is a 33 kDa integral protein of sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum membranes that forms a macromolecular complex with inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] receptors and TRPC3 channels. TIRF microscopy shows that junctate enhances the number of fluorescent puncta on the plasmamembrane. The size and distribution of these puncta are not affected by the addition of agonists that mobilize Ca2+ from Ins(1,4,5)P3-sensitive stores. Puncta are associated with a significantly larger number of peripheral junctions between endoplasmic reticulum and plasmamembrane, which are further enhanced upon stable co-expression of junctate and TRPC3. The gap between the membranes of peripheral junctions is bridged by regularly spaced electron-dense structures of 10 nm. Ins(1,4,5)P3 inhibits the interaction of the cytoplasmic N-terminus of junctate with the ligand-binding domain of the Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptor. Furthermore, Ca2+ influx evoked by activation of Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptors is increased where puncta are located. We conclude that stable peripheral junctions between the plasmamembrane and endoplasmic reticulum are the anatomical sites of agonist-activated Ca2+ entry. PMID:21062895

FMNL3 is a vertebrate-specific formin protein previously shown to play a role in angiogenesis and cell migration. Here we define the cellular localization of endogenous FMNL3, the dynamics of GFP-tagged FMNL3 during cell migration, and the effects of FMNL3 suppression in mammalian culture cells. The majority of FMNL3 localizes in a punctate pattern, with >95% of these puncta being indistinguishable from the plasmamembrane by fluorescence microscopy. A small number of dynamic cytoplasmic FMNL3 patches also exist, which enrich near cell–cell contact sites and fuse with the plasmamembrane at these sites. These cytoplasmic puncta appear to be part of larger membranes of endocytic origin. On the plasmamembrane, FMNL3 enriches particularly in filopodia and membrane ruffles and at nascent cell–cell adhesions. FMNL3-containing filopodia occur both at the cell–substratum interface and at cell–cell contacts, with the latter being 10-fold more stable. FMNL3 suppression by siRNA has two major effects: decrease in filopodia and compromised cell–cell adhesion in cells migrating as a sheet. Overall our results suggest that FMNL3 functions in assembly of actin-based protrusions that are specialized for cell–cell adhesion. PMID:25428984

When [14C]oleate-bovine serum albumin complexes were incubated in vitro with rat liver plasmamembranes (LPM), specific, saturable binding of oleate to the membranes was observed. Maximal heat-sensitive (i.e., specific) binding was 3.2 nmol/mg of membrane protein. Oleate-agarose affinity chromatography of Triton X-100-solubilized LPM was used to isolate a single 40-kDa protein with high affinity for oleate. On gel filtration, the protein comigrated with various fatty acids but not with [14C]bilirubin, [35S]sulfobromophthalein, [14C]taurocholate, [14C]phosphatidylcholine, or [14C]cholesteryloleate. A rabbit antibody to this membrane fatty acid-binding protein gave a single precipitin line with the antigen but no reactivity with concentrated cytosolic proteins, LPM bilirubin/sulfobromophthalein-binding protein, or rat albumin or other rat plasma proteins. The antibody selectively inhibited heat-sensitive binding of [14C]oleate to LPM. Immunofluorescence studies localized the antigen in liver-cell plasmamembranes as well as in other major sites of fatty acid transport. These data are compatible with the hypothesis that this protein may act as a receptor in a hepatocellular uptake mechanism for fatty acids. Images PMID:3881757

Actin-binding proteins in bovine neutrophil plasmamembranes were identified using blot overlays with 125I-labeled F-actin. Along with surface-biotinylated proteins, membranes were enriched in major actin-binding polypeptides of 78, 81, and 205 kDa. Binding was specific for F-actin because G-actin did not bind. Further, unlabeled F-actin blocked the binding of 125I-labeled F-actin whereas other acidic biopolymers were relatively ineffective. Binding also was specifically inhibited by myosin subfragment 1, but not by CapZ or plasma gelsolin, suggesting that the membrane proteins, like myosin, bind along the sides of the actin filaments. The 78- and 81-kDa polypeptides were identified as moesin and ezrin, respectively, by co-migration on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoprecipitation with antibodies specific for moesin and ezrin. Although not present in detectable amounts in bovine neutrophils, radixin (a third and closely related member of this gene family) also bound 125I-labeled F-actin on blot overlays. Experiments with full-length and truncated bacterial fusion proteins localized the actin-binding site in moesin to the extreme carboxy terminus, a highly conserved sequence. Immunofluorescence micrographs of permeabilized cells and cell "footprints" showed moesin co-localization with actin at the cytoplasmic surface of the plasmamembrane, consistent with a role as a membrane-actin-linking protein. Images PMID:7612961

When radioactive UDP-glucose is supplied to 1-millimeter-thick slices of pea (Pisum sativum) stem tissue, radioactive glucose becomes incorporated into membrane-bound polysaccharides. Evidence is given that this incorporation does not result from breakdown of UDP-glucose and utilization of the resultant free glucose, and that the incorporation most likely takes place at the cell surface, leading to a specific labeling of the plasmamembrane. The properties of the plasmamembrane that are indicated by this method of recognition, including the association of K+-stimulated ATPase activity with the plasmamembrane, resemble properties inferred using other approaches. The membrane-associated polysaccharide product formed from UDP-glucose is largely 1,3-linked glucan, presumably callose, and does not behave as a precursor of cell wall polymers. No substantial amount of cellulose is formed from UDP-glucose in this procedure, even though these cells incorporate free glucose rapidly into cellulose. This synthetase system that uses external UDP-glucose may serve for formation of wound callose. PMID:16660373

The morphological and clinical studies of poly(ethylene terephthalate) track-etched membrane modified by plasma of non-polymerizing gases as drainage materials for antiglaucomatous operations were performed. It was demonstrated their compatibility with eye tissues. Moreover, it was shown that a new drainage has a good lasting hypotensive effect and can be used as operation for refractory glaucoma surgery.

The morphological and clinical studies of poly(ethylene terephthalate) track membranes modified by air plasma as drainage materials for antiglaucomatous operations were performed. It was demonstrated their compatibility with eye tissues. Moreover, it was shown that a new drainage has a good lasting hypotensive effect and can be used as operation for refractory glaucoma surgery.

Recently, GPR30 was reported to be a novel estrogen receptor; however, its intracellular localization has remained controversial. To investigate the intracellular localization of GPR30 in vivo, we produced four kinds of polyclonal antibodies for distinct epitopes on GPR30. Immunocytochemical observations using anti-GPR30 antibody and anti-FLAG antibody show that FLAG-GPR30 localizes to the plasmamembrane 24 h after transfection. Treatment with estrogen (17{beta}-estradiol or E2) causes an elevation in the intracellular Ca{sup 2+} concentration ([Ca{sup 2+}]{sub i}) within 10 s in HeLa cells expressing FLAG-GPR30. In addition, E2 induces the translocation of GPR30 from the plasmamembrane to the cytoplasm by 1 h after stimulation. Immunohistochemical analysis shows that GPR30 exists on the cell surface of CA2 pyramidal neuronal cells. The images on transmission electron microscopy show that GPR30 is localized to a particular region associated with the plasmamembranes of the pyramidal cells. These data indicate that GPR30, a transmembrane receptor for estrogen, is localized to the plasmamembrane of CA2 pyramidal neuronal cells of the hippocampus in rat brain.

Calcium is actively transported into intracellular organelles and out of the cytoplasm by Ca2+/Mg2+-ATPases located in the endoplasmic reticulum and plasmamembranes. he effects of aluminum on calcium transport were examined in the adult rat brain. 5Ca-uptake was examined in micr...

In this article, the author reviews videos from "Molecular Biology of the Cell (MBC)" depicting various aspects of plasmamembrane (PM) dynamics, including the targeting of newly synthesized components and the organization of those PM invaginations called caveolae. The papers accompanying these videos describe, respectively, the constitutive…

A double potential pulse scheme is reported for observation of cholesterol efflux from the plasmamembrane of a single neuron cell. Capillary Pt disk microelectrodes having a thin glass insulator allow the 10 μm diameter electrode and cell to be viewed under optical magnification. The electrode, covalently functionalized with cholesterol oxidase, is positioned in contact with the cell surface resulting in enzyme catalyzed cholesterol oxidation and efflux of cholesterol from the plasmamembrane at the electrode contact site. Enzymatically generated hydrogen peroxide accumulates at the electrode/cell interface during a 5 s hold-time and is oxidized during application of a potential pulse. A second, replicate potential pulse is applied 0.5 s after the first potential pulse to gauge background charge prior to significant accumulation of hydrogen peroxide. The difference in charge passed between the first and second potential pulse provides a measure of hydrogen peroxide generated by the enzyme and is an indication of the cholesterol efflux. Control experiments for bare Pt microelectrodes in contact with the cell plasmamembrane show difference charge signals in the range of about 7–10 pC. Enzyme-modified electrodes in contact with the plasmamembrane show signals in the range of 16–26 pC. PMID:27330196

Plant architecture is influenced by the polar, cell-to-cell transport of auxin that is primarily provided and regulated by plasmamembrane efflux catalysts of the PIN-FORMED and B family of ABC transporter (ABCB) classes. The latter were shown to require the functionality of the FK506 binding protein42 TWISTED DWARF1 (TWD1), although underlying mechanisms are unclear. By genetic manipulation of TWD1 expression, we show here that TWD1 affects shootward root auxin reflux and, thus, downstream developmental traits, such as epidermal twisting and gravitropism of the root. Using immunological assays, we demonstrate a predominant lateral, mainly outward-facing, plasmamembrane location for TWD1 in the root epidermis characterized by the lateral marker ABC transporter G36/PLEIOTROPIC DRUG-RESISTANCE8/PENETRATION3. At these epidermal plasmamembrane domains, TWD1 colocalizes with nonpolar ABCB1. In planta bioluminescence resonance energy transfer analysis was used to verify specific ABC transporter B1 (ABCB1)-TWD1 interaction. Our data support a model in which TWD1 promotes lateral ABCB-mediated auxin efflux via protein-protein interaction at the plasmamembrane, minimizing reflux from the root apoplast into the cytoplasm. PMID:23321285

A tiered approach will be undertaken to achieve the overall project goal of demonstrating the integrated membrane/plasma process as an innovative, affordable, sustainable and effective treatment technology for small treatment systems. The team will first use a regimented ap...

The plasmamembrane of electric organ nerve terminals has two domains that can be distinguished by monoclonal antibodies. A library of 111 mouse monoclonal antibodies raised to nerve terminals from Torpedo californica contains 4 antibodies that bind specifically to the outside of intact synaptosomes. The distribution of the binding sites of these monoclonal antibodies on the outside of intact nerve terminals was examined by immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy. The binding sites of 3 (tor23, 25, and 132) are distributed uniformly over nerve trunks and fine terminal branches. The binding site of the fourth (tor70) is restricted to synaptic junctional regions. This antibody, but not the other 3, recognizes a major component of synaptic vesicles, a proteoglycan associated with the inner surface of the vesicle membrane. The difference in the pattern of binding of these monoclonal antibodies suggests that the region of the plasmamembrane containing active zones is antigenically distinguishable from other nerve terminal plasmamembrane. We suggest that the antigen recognized by tor70 is externalized by exocytosis of synaptic vesicles while other plasma antigens take a different route to the surface. The unexpected observation that the vesicle antigen remains on the surface after exocytosis and is prevented from diffusion from the synaptic junctional region would be consistent with an interaction between the vesicle proteoglycan and elements of the synaptic cleft. Images PMID:6359167

Electrical properties of plasmamembranes (PMs), partially controlled by the ionic composition of the bathing medium, play significant roles in the distribution of ions at the exterior surface of PMs and in the transport of ions across PMs. The effects of coexistent cations (commonly Al3+, Ca2+, Mg...

Allyl amine and chemically related compounds are polymerized as thin films in the presence of a plasma discharge. The monomer compound can be polymerized by itself or in the presence of an additive gas to promote polymerization and act as a carrier. The polymerized films thus produced show outstanding advantages when used as reverse osmosis membranes.

Here we describe an experimental tool, termed quantitative imaging Förster resonance energy transfer (QI-FRET), that enables the quantitative characterization of membrane protein interactions. The QI-FRET methodology allows us to acquire binding curves and calculate association constants for complex membrane proteins in the native plasmamembrane environment. The method utilizes FRET detection, and thus requires that the proteins of interest are labeled with florescent proteins, either FRET donors or FRET acceptors. Since plasmamembranes of cells have complex topologies precluding the acquisition of two-dimensional binding curves, the FRET measurements are performed in plasmamembrane derived vesicles that bud off cells as a result of chemical or osmotic stress. The results overviewed here are acquired in vesicles produced with an osmotic vesiculation buffer developed in our laboratory, which does not utilize harsh chemicals. The concentrations of the donor-labeled and the acceptor-labeled proteins are determined, along with the FRET efficiencies, in each vesicle. The experiments utilize transient transfection, such that a wide variety of concentrations is sampled. Then, data from hundreds of vesicles are combined to yield dimerization curves. Here we discuss recent findings about the dimerization of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), membrane proteins that control cell growth and differentiation via lateral dimerization in the plasmamembrane. We focus on the dimerization of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3), a RTK that plays a critically important role in skeletal development. We study the role of different FGFR3 domains in FGFR3 dimerization in the absence of ligand, and we show that FGFR3 extracellular domains inhibit unliganded dimerization, while contacts between the juxtamembrane domains, which connect the transmembrane domains to the kinase domains, stabilize the unliganded FGFR3 dimers. Since FGFR3 has been documented to harbor many pathogenic

Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins form a complex that leads to membrane fusion between vesicles, organelles, and plasmamembrane in all eukaryotic cells. We report the 1.7{angstrom} resolution structure of the SNARE complex that mediates exocytosis at the plasmamembrane in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Similar to its neuronal and endosomal homologues, the S. cerevisiae SNARE complex forms a parallel four-helix bundle in the center of which is an ionic layer. The S. cerevisiae SNARE complex exhibits increased helix bending near the ionic layer, contains water-filled cavities in the complex core, and exhibits reduced thermal stability relative to mammalian SNARE complexes. Mutagenesis experiments suggest that the water-filled cavities contribute to the lower stability of the S. cerevisiae complex.

Anti-nitrate-reductase (NR) immunoglobulin-G (IgG) fragments inhibited nitrate uptake into Chlorella cells but had no affect on nitrate uptake. Intact anti-NR serum and preimmune IgG fragments had no affect on nitrate uptake. Membrane-associated NR was detected in plasma-membrane (PM) fractions isolated by aqueous two-phase partitioning. The PM-associated NR was not removed by sonicating PM vesicles in 500 mM NaCl and 1 mM ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and represented up to 0.8% of the total Chlorella NR activity. The PM NR was solubilized by Triton X-100 and inactivated by Chlorella NR antiserum. Plasma-membrane NR was present in ammonium-grown Chlorella cells that completely lacked soluble NR activity. The subunit sizes of the PM and soluble NRs were 60 and 95 kDa, respectively, as determined by sodium-dodecyl-sulfate electrophoresis and western blotting.

Fluidity is essential for many biological membrane functions. The basis for understanding membrane structure remains the classic Singer-Nicolson model, in which proteins are embedded within a fluid lipid bilayer and able to diffuse laterally within a sea of lipid. Here we report lipid and protein diffusion in the plasmamembrane of live cells of the bacterium Escherichia coli, using Fluorescence Recovery after Photobleaching (FRAP) and Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy to measure lateral diffusion coefficients. Lipid and protein mobility within the membrane were probed by visualizing an artificial fluorescent lipid and a simple model membrane protein consisting of a single membrane-spanning alpha-helix with a Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) tag on the cytoplasmic side. The effective viscosity of the lipid bilayer is strongly temperature-dependent, as indicated by changes in the lipid diffusion coefficient. Surprisingly, the mobility of the model protein was unaffected by changes in the effective viscosity of the bulk lipid, and TIRF microscopy indicates that it clusters in segregated, mobile domains. We suggest that this segregation profoundly influences the physical behaviour of the protein in the membrane, with strong implications for bacterial membrane function and bacterial physiology. PMID:24735432

The hydrophilic modification of a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) microfiltration membrane via pretreatment with argon plasma and direct surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) was studied. Both modified and unmodified PVDF membranes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), water contact angle, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and pore size distribution measurements. FTIR and XPS spectra confirmed that sulfobetaine methacrylate (SBMA) had been grafted onto the membrane surface. The initial contact angle decreased from 87.0° to 29.8° and a water drop penetrated into the modified membrane completely in 8 s. The pore size distribution of the modified membrane exhibited a smaller mean value than that of the original membrane. The antifouling properties of the modified PVDF membrane were evaluated by a filtration test using bovine serum albumin (BSA) solution. The results showed that the initial flux of the modified membrane increased from 2140.1 L/m2 h to 2812.7 L/m2 h and the equilibrium flux of BSA solution increased from 31 L/m2 h to 53 L/m2 h.

enhancing fertility, identifying and treating certain forms of male infertility, and preventing conception. One remarkable insight is the importance of membrane cholesterol efflux in initiating transmembrane signaling events that confer fertilization competence. The identity of the physiologically relevant cholesterol acceptors and modulators of cholesterol efflux is therefore of great interest. Still, it is clear that cholesterol efflux represents only a part of this story. The involvement of phospholipid translocation in mediating dynamic changes in the membrane, rendering it conducive to transmembrane signaling, and the modulation of membrane components of signal transduction cascades by cholesterol or phospholipids will yield important insights into the links between environmental sensing and transmembrane signaling in the sperm. Understanding the membrane molecular events will ultimately provide new and exciting areas of investigation for the future. PMID:21209749

Physical tethering of membrane proteins to the cortical actin cytoskeleton provides functional organization to the plasmamembrane and contributes to diverse cellular processes including cell signaling, vesicular trafficking, endocytosis, and migration. For these processes to occur, membrane protein tethering must be dynamically regulated in response to environmental cues. In this study, we describe a novel biochemical scheme for isolating the complement of plasmamembrane proteins that are physically tethered to the actin cytoskeleton. We utilized this method in combination with tandem liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) to demonstrate that cytoskeletal tethering of membrane proteins is acutely regulated by epidermal growth factor (EGF) in normal human kidney (HK2) cells. Our results indicate that several proteins known to be involved in EGF signaling, as well as other proteins not traditionally associated with this pathway, are tethered to the cytoskeleton in dynamic fashion. Further analysis of one hit from our proteomic survey, the receptor phosphotyrosine phosphatase PTPRS, revealed a correlation between cytoskeletal tethering and endosomal trafficking in response to EGF. This finding parallels previous indications that PTPRS is involved in the desensitization of EGFR and provides a potential mechanism to coordinate localization of these two membrane proteins in the same compartment upon EGFR activation. PMID:22559174

Previous studies have indicated that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is enclosed with a lipid envelope similar in composition to cell plasmamembranes and to other viruses. Further, the fluidity, as measured by spin resonance spectroscopy, is low and the viral envelope is among the most highly ordered membranes analyzed. However, the relationship between viral envelope lipids and those of the host cell is not known. Here we demonstrate that the phospholipids within the envelopes of HIV-1RF and HIV-2-L are similar to each other but significantly different from their respective host cell surface membranes. Further, we demonstrate that the cholesterol-to-phospholipid molar ratio of the viral envelope is approximately 2.5 times that of the host cell surface membranes. Consistent with the elevated cholesterol-to-phospholipid molar ratio, the viral envelopes of HIV-1RF and HIV-2-L were shown to be 7.5% and 10.5% more ordered than the plasmamembranes of their respective host cells. These data demonstrate that HIV-1 and HIV-2-L select specific lipid domains within the surface membrane of their host cells through which to emerge during viral maturation. Images Fig. 1 PMID:8389472

Directional flow of membrane components has been detected at the leading front of fibroblasts and the growth cone of neuronal processes, but whether there exists global directional flow of plasmamembrane components over the entire migrating neuron remains largely unknown. By analyzing the trajectories of antibody-coated single quantum dots (QDs) bound to two membrane proteins, overexpressed myc-tagged synaptic vesicle-associated membrane protein VAMP2 and endogenous neurotrophin receptor TrkB, we found that these two proteins exhibited net forward transport, which is superimposed upon Brownian motion, in both leading and trailing processes of migrating cerebellar granule cells in culture. Furthermore, no net directional transport of membrane proteins was observed in nonmigrating cells with either growing or stalling leading processes. Analysis of the correlation of motion direction between two QDs on the same process in migrating neurons also showed a higher frequency of correlated forward than rearward movements. Such correlated QD movements were markedly reduced in the presence of myosin II inhibitor blebbistatin,suggesting the involvement of myosin II-dependent active transport processes. Thus, a net forward transport of plasmamembrane proteins exists in the leading and trailing processes of migrating neurons, in line with the translocation of the soma. PMID:23213239

Every cell, eu- or prokaryotic, has a membrane as an interface to the environment. Every substance that is applied from outside the cell has to interact with it. This includes plasma-generated reactive species in the liquid cell environment created by plasma-treatment. By the Singer and Nicolson model, proteins are embedded in a lipid bilayer. Proteins are the functional elements, lipids are the structural elements. Due to the amphiphilic nature of the lipids, they form (super-) structures in an aqueous environment. The exact superstructure is determined by a structural parameter of the lipid, its shape. Here, we show experiments on lipids by fluorophore-based liposome assays and raman spectroscopy. The results show a membrane-activity of plasma-born reactive species against lipids and lipid structures. Based on this results and literature, we propose a model for a lesion-forming mechanism in membranes of some reactive species created by plasma-treatment. It is based on a hydrophobic-hydrophilic mismatch due to lipid peroxidization induced by reactive species generated in liquids by plasma-treatment.

The surface properties and hydrodynamic characteristics of composite membranes consisting of a porous substrate, on which a polymer layer from a direct current discharge in a mixture of air and vapours of dimethylaniline was deposited, have been investigated. As a substrate, we used poly(ethylene) terephthalate track membrane (PET TM) of the thickness of 10 μ m and the effective pore diameter of 0.215 μ m (pore density is 2\\cdot 10^8 cm-2). The performed researches show that when treating the membranes in plasma, two competing processes are observed: deposition of the polymer layer on a membrane surface, that testifies increase of the mass of sample, and etching of a polymeric matrix which causes growth of effective pore diameter. The last process is stipulated by presence of oxygen in the gas mixture. Decreasing the degree of overweight of the sample at increasing the treatment time leads us to a supposition that a dominating process in this case becomes the process of gas-discharge etching. In all cases, if treating PET TM, a drop of the water contact angle occurs, i.e. hydrophilization of the membrane surface takes place that is connected first of all with a grafting of polymer layer containing polar functional groups. The research in the hydrodynamic characteristics of the initial PET TM and the membranes modified in plasma at neutral and subacid pH value of filtrate leads to a linear dependence of their permeability upon the quantity of applied pressure. It is connected with a viscous character of the flow, that is, when the diameter of the pores of the membrane is much more than the size of the water molecules. This fact shows that the macromolecules of the deposited polymer layer in this case have a compact conformation, which does not hinder the water molecules infiltration. At a lower pH value of the filtrate, the picture cardinally changes. For modified in plasmamembranes a diversion from the linear relation is observed. This means that in this case

The presence of 1.0mm-dibutyryl cyclic AMP (N6,O2′-dibutyryladenosine 3′:5′-cyclic monophosphate) and 1.5mm-theophylline completely inhibits the growth of mouse neuroblastoma N2a cells by 24–36h. When compared with N2a cultures without inhibitors (controls), the proportion of cells in S phase, measured by radioautography with [3H]-thymidine, was decreased from 55 to 12%. In addition, the presence of the inhibitors decreased apparent [3H]fucose incorporation into glycoproteins by 50%, and removing the inhibitors resulted in a rapid recovery of both DNA synthesis and glycoprotein metabolism. Measurement of intracellular acid-soluble radioactive fucose revealed that decreased fucose uptake could account for the apparent change in incorporation. Removing dibutyryl cyclic AMP and theophylline from the medium resulted in a rapid uptake of radioactive fucose to within control values, which illustrated that the inhibitors decreased transport of the carbohydrate, although the cells remained viable. Treatment with dibutyryl cyclic AMP and theophylline also reversibly inhibited glycoprotein degradation. Plasmamembranes isolated from growing cells and from growth-inhibited cells labelled with [14C]fucose and [3H]fucose respectively were co-electrophoresed on sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide gels. These displayed no apparent differences in synthesis of specific membrane glycoproteins. Electrophoresis of plasmamembranes isolated from cultures pulse–chased with [14C]fucose and [3H]fucose was used to discern turnover patterns of specific plasma-membrane glycoproteins. High-molecular-weight glycoproteins exhibited rapid rates of turnover in membranes from growing cells, but moderate turnover rates in growth-inhibited cells and cells reversed from growth inhibition. These data indicate that growth arrest of N2a cells results in alterations in the metabolic turnover of plasma-membrane glycoproteins. PMID:218551

Plasmamembrane water transport is a crucial cellular phenomenon. Net water movement in response to an osmotic gradient changes cell volume. Steady-state exchange of water molecules, with no net flux or volume change, occurs by passive diffusion through the phospholipid bilayer and passage through membrane proteins. The hypothesis is tested that plasmamembrane water exchange also correlates with ATP-driven membrane transport activity in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Longitudinal 1H2O NMR relaxation time constant (T1) values were measured in yeast suspensions containing extracellular relaxation reagent. Two-site-exchange analysis quantified the reversible exchange kinetics as the mean intracellular water lifetime (τi), where τi−1 is the pseudo-first-order rate constant for water efflux. To modulate cellular ATP, yeast suspensions were bubbled with 95%O2/5%CO2 (O2) or 95%N2/5%CO2 (N2). ATP was high during O2, and τi−1 was 3.1 s−1 at 25°C. After changing to N2, ATP decreased and τi−1 was 1.8 s−1. The principal active yeast ion transport protein is the plasmamembrane H+-ATPase. Studies using the H+-ATPase inhibitor ebselen or a yeast genetic strain with reduced H+-ATPase found reduced τi−1, notwithstanding high ATP. Steady-state water exchange correlates with H+-ATPase activity. At volume steady state, water is cycling across the plasmamembrane in response to metabolic transport activity. PMID:22261073

Plasmamembrane repair in animal cells uses synaptotagmin 7, a Ca2+-activated membrane fusion protein that mediates delivery of intracellular membranes to wound sites by a mechanism resembling neuronal Ca2+-regulated exocytosis. Here, we show that loss of function of the homologous Arabidopsis thaliana Synaptotagmin 1 protein (SYT1) reduces the viability of cells as a consequence of a decrease in the integrity of the plasmamembrane. This reduced integrity is enhanced in the syt1-2 null mutant in conditions of osmotic stress likely caused by a defective plasmamembrane repair. Consistent with a role in plasmamembrane repair, SYT1 is ubiquitously expressed, is located at the plasmamembrane, and shares all domains characteristic of animal synaptotagmins (i.e., an N terminus-transmembrane domain and a cytoplasmic region containing two C2 domains with phospholipid binding activities). Our analyses support that membrane trafficking mediated by SYT1 is important for plasmamembrane integrity and plant fitness. PMID:19088329

Cellular wound healing or the repair of plasmamembrane/cell wall damage (plasmamembrane damage) occurs frequently in nature. Although various cellular perturbations, such as DNA damage, spindle misalignment, and impaired daughter cell formation, are monitored by cell cycle checkpoint mechanisms in budding yeast, whether plasmamembrane damage is monitored by any of these checkpoints remains to be addressed. Here, we define the mechanism by which cells sense membrane damage and inhibit DNA replication. We found that the inhibition of DNA replication upon plasmamembrane damage requires GSK3/Mck1-dependent degradation of Cdc6, a component of the prereplicative complex. Furthermore, the CDK inhibitor Sic1 is stabilized in response to plasmamembrane damage, leading to cell integrity maintenance in parallel with the Mck1-Cdc6 pathway. Cells defective in both Cdc6 degradation and Sic1 stabilization failed to grow in the presence of plasmamembrane damage. Taking these data together, we propose that plasmamembrane damage triggers G1 arrest via Cdc6 degradation and Sic1 stabilization to promote the cellular wound healing process. PMID:27274080

Glutamate, the main excitatory amino acid in the central nervous system, elicits its functions through the activation of specific membrane receptors that are expressed in neurons and glial cells. The re-cycling of this amino acid is carried out mostly through a continuous interplay between neurons and glia cells, given the fact that the removal of glutamate from the synaptic cleft depends mainly on glial glutamate transporters. Therefore, a functional and physical interaction between membrane transporters links glutamate uptake, transformation to glutamine and its release to the extra-synaptic space and its uptake to the pre-synaptic terminal. This sequence of events, best known as the glutamate/glutamine shuttle is central to glutamatergic transmission. In this sense, the uptake process triggers a complex series of biochemical cascades that modify the physiology of glial cells in the immediate, short and long term so as to be capable to take up, transform and release these amino acids in a regulated amount and in an appropriate time frame to sustain glutamatergic neurotransmission. Among the signaling cascades activated in glial cells by glutamate transporters, a sustained Na(+) and Ca(2+) influx, protein posttranslational modifications and gene expression regulation at the transcriptional and translational levels are present. Therefore, it is clear that the pivotal role of glial cells in the context of excitatory transmission has been constantly underestimated. PMID:27083407

The Arabidopsis gene AtNHX1 encodes a vacuolar membrane bound sodium/proton (Sodium/Hydrogen) antiporter that transports sodium into the vacuole and exports hydrogen into the cytoplasm. The Arabidopsis gene SOS1 encodes a plasmamembrane bound sodium/hydrogen antiporter that exports sodium to the ex...

Several simplified membrane models featuring coexisting liquid disordered (Ld) and ordered (Lo) lipid phases have been developed to mimic the heterogeneous organization of cellular membranes, and thus, aid our understanding of the nature and functional role of ordered lipid-protein nanodomains, termed "rafts". In spite of their greatly reduced complexity, quantitative characterization of local lipid environments using model membranes is not trivial, and the parallels that can be drawn to cellular membranes are not always evident. Similarly, various fluorescently labeled lipid analogs have been used to study membrane organization and function in vitro, although the biological activity of these probes in relation to their native counterparts often remains uncharacterized. This is particularly true for raft-preferring lipids ("raft lipids", e.g. sphingolipids and sterols), whose domain preference is a strict function of their molecular architecture, and is thus susceptible to disruption by fluorescence labeling. Here, we analyze the phase partitioning of a multitude of fluorescent raft lipid analogs in synthetic Giant Unilamellar Vesicles (GUVs) and cell-derived Giant PlasmaMembrane Vesicles (GPMVs). We observe complex partitioning behavior dependent on label size, polarity, charge and position, lipid headgroup, and membrane composition. Several of the raft lipid analogs partitioned into the ordered phase in GPMVs, in contrast to fully synthetic GUVs, in which most raft lipid analogs mis-partitioned to the disordered phase. This behavior correlates with the greatly enhanced order difference between coexisting phases in the synthetic system. In addition, not only partitioning, but also ligand binding of the lipids is perturbed upon labeling: while cholera toxin B binds unlabeled GM1 in the Lo phase, it binds fluorescently labeled GMI exclusively in the Ld phase. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) by stimulated emission depletion (STED) nanoscopy on intact

Nature's fastest motors are the cochlear outer hair cells (OHCs). These sensory cells use a membrane protein, Slc26a5 (prestin), to generate mechanical force at high frequencies, which is essential for explaining the exquisite hearing sensitivity of mammalian ears. Previous studies suggest that Slc26a5 continuously diffuses within the membrane, but how can a freely moving motor protein effectively convey forces critical for hearing? To provide direct evidence in OHCs for freely moving Slc26a5 molecules, we created a knockin mouse where Slc26a5 is fused with YFP. These mice and four other strains expressing fluorescently labeled membrane proteins were used to examine their lateral diffusion in the OHC lateral wall. All five proteins showed minimal diffusion, but did move after pharmacological disruption of membrane-associated structures with a cholesterol-depleting agent and salicylate. Thus, our results demonstrate that OHC lateral wall structure constrains the mobility of plasmamembrane proteins and that the integrity of such membrane-associated structures are critical for Slc26a5's active and structural roles. The structural constraint of membrane proteins may exemplify convergent evolution of cellular motors across species. Our findings also suggest a possible mechanism for disorders of cholesterol metabolism with hearing loss such as Niemann-Pick Type C diseases. PMID:26352669

Nature’s fastest motors are the cochlear outer hair cells (OHCs). These sensory cells use a membrane protein, Slc26a5 (prestin), to generate mechanical force at high frequencies, which is essential for explaining the exquisite hearing sensitivity of mammalian ears. Previous studies suggest that Slc26a5 continuously diffuses within the membrane, but how can a freely moving motor protein effectively convey forces critical for hearing? To provide direct evidence in OHCs for freely moving Slc26a5 molecules, we created a knockin mouse where Slc26a5 is fused with YFP. These mice and four other strains expressing fluorescently labeled membrane proteins were used to examine their lateral diffusion in the OHC lateral wall. All five proteins showed minimal diffusion, but did move after pharmacological disruption of membrane-associated structures with a cholesterol-depleting agent and salicylate. Thus, our results demonstrate that OHC lateral wall structure constrains the mobility of plasmamembrane proteins and that the integrity of such membrane-associated structures are critical for Slc26a5’s active and structural roles. The structural constraint of membrane proteins may exemplify convergent evolution of cellular motors across species. Our findings also suggest a possible mechanism for disorders of cholesterol metabolism with hearing loss such as Niemann-Pick Type C diseases. PMID:26352669

Organization of the plasmamembrane into specialized substructures in different blood lineages facilitates important biological functions including proper localization of receptors at the plasmamembrane as well as the initiation of crucial intracellular signaling cascades. The eukaryotic plasmamembrane is a lipid bilayer that consists of asymmetrically distributed phospholipids. This asymmetry is actively maintained by membrane-embedded lipid transporters, but there is only limited data available about the molecular identity of the predominantly active transporters and their substrate specificity in different leukocyte subsets. We demonstrate here that the P4-type ATPase ATP11C mediates significant flippase activity in all murine leukocyte subsets. Loss of ATP11C resulted in a defective internalization of phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) in comparison to control cells. The diminished flippase activity caused increased PS exposure on 7-aminoactinomycin D− (7-AAD−) viable pro-B cells freshly isolated from the bone marrow of ATP11C-deficient mice, which was corrected upon a 2-hour resting period in vitro. Despite the impaired flippase activity in all immune cell subsets, the only other blood cell type with an accumulation of PS on the surface were viable 7-AAD− developing T cells but this did not result in any discernable effect on their development in the thymus. These findings show that all leukocyte lineages exhibit flippase activity, and identify ATP11C as an aminophospholipid translocase in immune cells. PMID:26799398

The multidrug-resistance associated protein MRP is a 180- to 195-kDa membrane protein associated with resistance of human tumor cells to cytotoxic drugs. We have investigated how MRP confers drug resistance in SW-1573 human lung carcinoma cells by generating a subline stably transfected with an expression vector containing MRP cDNA. MRP-overexpressing SW-1573 cells are resistant to doxorubicin, daunorubicin, vincristine, VP-16, colchicine, and rhodamine 123, but not to 4'-(9-acridinylamino)methanesulfon-m-anisidide or taxol. The intracellular accumulation of drug (daunorubicin, vincristine, and VP-16) is decreased and the efflux of drug (daunorubicin) is increased in the transfectant. The decreased accumulation of daunorubicin is abolished by permeabilization of the plasmamembrane with digitonin, showing that MRP can lower the intracellular daunorubicin level against a concentration gradient. Anti-MRP antisera predominantly stain the plasmamembrane of MRP-overexpressing cells. We conclude that MRP is a plasmamembrane drug-efflux pump. Images PMID:7916458

Citrinin (CTN) is a toxic fungal metabolite that is a hazardous contaminant of foods and feeds. In the present study, its acute toxicity and effects on the plasmamembrane of Schizosaccharomyces pombe were investigated. The minimum inhibitory concentration of CTN against the yeast cells proved to be 500 μM. Treatment with 0, 250, 500 or 1000 μM CTN for 60 min resulted in a 0%, 2%, 21% or 100% decrease, respectively, in the survival rate of the cell population. Treatment of cells with 0, 100, 500 or 1000 μM CTN for 20 min induced decrease in the phase-transition temperature of the 5-doxylstearic acid-labeled plasmamembrane to 16.51, 16.04, 14.18 or 13.98°C, respectively as measured by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. This perturbation was accompanied by the efflux of essential K⁺ from the cells. The existence of an interaction between CTN and glutathione was detected for the first time by spectrofluorometry. Our observations may suggest a direct interaction of CTN with the free sulfhydryl groups of the integral proteins of the plasmamembrane, leading to dose-dependent membrane fluidization. The change in fluidity disturbed the ionic homeostasis, contributing to the death of the cells, which is a novel aspect of CTN cytotoxicity. PMID:23851147

Changes in plasmamembrane lipids, such as sterols and fatty acids, have been observed as a result of salt stress. These alterations, together with modification of the plasmamembrane protein profile, confer changes in the physical properties of the membrane to be taken into account for biotechnological uses. In our experiments, the relationship between lipids and proteins in three different Brassicaceae species differing in salinity tolerance (Brassica oleracea, B. napus and Cakile maritima) and the final plasmamembrane stability were studied. The observed changes in the sterol (mainly an increase in sitosterol) and fatty acid composition (increase in RUFA) in each species led to physical adaptation of the plasmamembrane to salt stress. The in vitro vesicles stability was higher in the less tolerant (B. oleracea) plants together with low lipoxygenase activity. These results indicate that the proteins/lipids ratio and lipid composition is an important aspect to take into account for the use of natural vesicles in plant biotechnology. PMID:25544590

Although natural and synthetic ionophores are widely exploited in cell studies, for example, to influence cytoplasmic free calcium concentrations and to depolarize in situ mitochondria, their inherent lack of membrane selectivity means that they affect the ion permeability of both plasma and mitochondrial membranes. A similar ambiguity affects the interpretation of signals from fluorescent membrane-permeant cations (usually termed "mitochondrial membrane potential indicators"), because the accumulation of these probes is influenced by both plasma and mitochondrial membrane potentials. To resolve some of these problems a technique is developed to allow simultaneous monitoring of plasma and mitochondrial membrane potentials at single-cell resolution using a cationic and anionic fluorescent probe. A computer program is described that transforms the fluorescence changes into dynamic estimates of changes in plasma and mitochondrial potentials. Exploiting this technique, primary cultures of rat cerebellar granule neurons display a concentration-dependent response to ionomycin: low concentrations mimic nigericin by hyperpolarizing the mitochondria while slowly depolarizing the plasmamembrane and maintaining a stable elevated cytoplasmic calcium. Higher ionomycin concentrations induce a stochastic failure of calcium homeostasis that precedes both mitochondrial depolarization and an enhanced rate of plasmamembrane depolarization. In addition, the protonophore carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone only selectively depolarizes mitochondria at submicromolar concentrations. ATP synthase reversal following respiratory chain inhibition depolarizes the mitochondria by 26 mV. PMID:16551630

The study of calcium channels in molecular mechanisms of cancer transformation is still a novel area of research. Several studies, mostly conducted on cancer cell lines, however support the idea that a diversity of plasmamembrane channels participates in the remodeling of Ca2+ homeostasis, which regulates various cancer hallmarks such as uncontrolled multiplication and increase in migration and invasion abilities. However few is still understood concerning the intracellular signaling cascades mobilized by calcium influx participating to cancer cell behavior. This review intends to gather some of these pathways dependent on plasmamembrane calcium channels and described in prostate, breast and lung cancer cell lines. In these cancer cell types, the calcium channels involved in calcium signaling pathways promoting cancer behaviors are mostly non-voltage activated calcium channels and belong to the TRP superfamily (TRPC, TPRPV and TRPM families) and the Orai family. TRP and Orai channels are part of many signaling cascades involving the activation of transmembrane receptors by extracellular ligand from the tumor environment. TRPV can sense changes in the physical and chemical environment of cancer cells and TRPM7 are stretch activated and sensitive to cholesterol. Changes in activation and or expression of plasma-membrane calcium channels affect calcium-dependent signaling processes relevant to tumorigenesis. The studies cited in this review suggest that an increase in plasmamembrane calcium channel expression and/or activity sustain an elevated calcium entry (constitutive or under the control of extracellular signals) promoting higher cell proliferation and migration in most cases. A variety of non-voltage-operated calcium channels display change expression and/or activity in a same cancer type and cooperate to the same process relevant to cancer cell behavior, or can be involved in a different sequence of events during the tumorigenesis. This article is part of a

To determine how the repertoire of plasmamembrane proteins change with disease state, specifically related to cancer, several methods for preparation of plasmamembrane proteins were evaluated. Cultured cells derived from stage IV ovarian tumors were grown to 90% confluence and harvested in buffer containing CHAPS detergent. This preparation was centrifuged at low speed to remove insoluble cellular debris resulting in a crude homogenate. Glycosylated proteins in the crude homogenate were selectively enriched using lectin affinity chromatography. The crude homogenate and the lectin purified sample were prepared for mass spectrometric evaluation. The general procedure for protein identification began with trypsin digestion of protein fractions followed by separation by reversed phase liquid chromatography that was coupled directly to a conventional tandem mass spectrometer (i.e. LCQ ion trap). Mass and fragmentation data for the peptides were searched against a human proteome data base using the informatics program SEQUEST. Using this procedure 398 proteins were identified with high confidence, including receptors, membrane-associated ligands, proteases, phosphatases, as well as structural and adhesion proteins. Results indicate that lectin chromatography provides a select subset of proteins and that the number and quality of the identifications improve as does the confidence of the protein identifications for this subset. These results represent the first step in development of methods to separate and successfully identify plasmamembrane proteins from advanced ovarian cancer cells. Further characterization of plasmamembrane proteins will contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying progression of this deadly disease and may lead to new targeted interventions as well as new biomarkers for diagnosis.

To determine how the repertoire of plasmamembrane proteins change with disease state, specifically related to cancer, several methods for preparation of plasmamembrane proteins were evaluated. Cultured cells derived from stage IV ovarian tumors were grown to 90% confluence and harvested in buffer containing CHAPS detergent. This preparation was centrifuged at low speed to remove insoluble cellular debris resulting in a crude homogenate. Glycosylated proteins in the crude homogenate were selectively enriched using lectin affinity chromatography. The crude homogenate and the lectin purified sample were prepared for mass spectrometric evaluation. The general procedure for protein identification began with trypsinmore » digestion of protein fractions followed by separation by reversed phase liquid chromatography that was coupled directly to a conventional tandem mass spectrometer (i.e. LCQ ion trap). Mass and fragmentation data for the peptides were searched against a human proteome data base using the informatics program SEQUEST. Using this procedure 398 proteins were identified with high confidence, including receptors, membrane-associated ligands, proteases, phosphatases, as well as structural and adhesion proteins. Results indicate that lectin chromatography provides a select subset of proteins and that the number and quality of the identifications improve as does the confidence of the protein identifications for this subset. These results represent the first step in development of methods to separate and successfully identify plasmamembrane proteins from advanced ovarian cancer cells. Further characterization of plasmamembrane proteins will contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying progression of this deadly disease and may lead to new targeted interventions as well as new biomarkers for diagnosis.« less

Diacylglycerol (DAG) is a key component in lipid metabolism and signaling. Previous model membrane studies using DAG analogs suggest their rapid membrane transbilayer movement. However, little is known about the DAG distribution and dynamics in cell membranes. Using live-cell fluorescence microscopy, we monitored the transbilayer movement of DAG with the yellow fluorescent protein-tagged C1AB domain from protein kinase C-γ (EYFP-C1AB), which selectively binds DAG. When HeLa cells were treated with Bacillus cereus phospholipase C (Bc-PLC) to produce DAG on the outer leaflet of the plasmamembrane, intracellularly expressed EYFP-C1AB probe accumulated at the plasmamembrane, indicating the transbilayer movement of the outer leaflet DAG to the inner leaflet. This Bc-PLC-induced translocation of EYFP-C1AB probe to the plasmamembrane was not observed in the sphingolipid-enriched plasmamembrane of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells, but was recovered after cell treatment with sphingomyelinase or preincubation with an inhibitor of sphingolipid biosynthesis. The inhibitory effect of sphingomyelin (SM) on the transbilayer movement of DAG was reproduced in model membranes using a fluorescent short-chain DAG analog. These results demonstrate that the SM content on the outer leaflet regulates the transbilayer movement of DAG in the plasmamembrane, thus providing new insights into the dynamics of DAG in cell pathophysiology. PMID:23682124

Partitioning in dextran-poly(ethylene)glycol (PEG) aqueous-aqueous phase systems represents a mature technology with many applications to separations of cells and to the preparation of membranes from mammalian cells. Most applications to membrane isolation and purification have focused on plasmamembranes, plasmamembrane domains and separation of right side-out and inside-out plasmamembrane vesicles. The method exploits a combination of membrane properties, including charge and hydrophobicity. Purification is based upon differential distributions of the constituents in a sample between the two principal compartments of the two phases (upper and lower) and at the interface. The order of affinity of animal cell membranes for the upper phase is: endoplasmic reticulum plasma membranes. Salt concentrations and temperature affect partitioning behavior and must be precisely standardized. In some cases, it is more fortuitous to combine aqueous two-phase partition with other procedures to obtain a more highly purified preparation. A procedure is described for preparation of Golgi apparatus from transformed mammalian cells that combines aqueous two-phase partition and centrifugation. Also described is a periodic NADH oxidase, a new enzyme marker for right side-out plasmamembrane vesicles not requiring detergent disruptions for measurement of activity.

A novel plasma graft-polymerization approach is adopted to prepare hydroxide exchange membranes (HEMs) using cardo polyetherketone powders (PEK-C) and vinylbenzyl chloride. The benzylic chloromethyl groups can be successfully introduced into the PEK-C polymer matrix via plasma graft-polymerization. This approach enables a well preservation in the structure of functional groups and formation of a highly cross-linked structure in the membrane, leading to an improvement on the stability and performance of HEMs. The chemical stabilities, including alkaline and oxidative stability, are evaluated under severe conditions by measuring hydroxide conductivity and weight changes during aging. The obtained PGP-NOH membrane retains 86% of the initial hydroxide conductivity in 6 mol L-1 KOH solution at 60 °C for 120 h, and 94% of the initial weight in 3 wt% H2O2 solution at 60 °C for 262 h. The PGP-NOH membrane also possesses excellent thermal stability (safely used below 120 °C), alcohol resistance (ethanol permeability of 6.6 × 10-11 m2 s-1 and diffusion coefficient of 3.7 × 10-13 m2 s-1), and an acceptable hydroxide conductivity (8.3 mS cm-1 at 20 °C in deionized water), suggesting a good candidate of PGP-NOH membrane for HEMFC applications.

The molecular processes of particle binding and endocytosis are influenced by the locally changing mobility of the particle nearby the plasmamembrane of a living cell. However, it is unclear how the particle's hydrodynamic drag and momentum vary locally and how they are mechanically transferred to the cell. We have measured the thermal fluctuations of a 1 μm-sized polystyrene sphere, which was placed in defined distances to plasmamembranes of various cell types by using an optical trap and fast three-dimensional (3D) interferometric particle tracking. From the particle position fluctuations on a 30 μs timescale, we determined the distance-dependent change of the viscous drag in directions perpendicular and parallel to the cell membrane. Measurements on macrophages, adenocarcinoma cells, and epithelial cells revealed a significantly longer hydrodynamic coupling length of the particle to the membrane than those measured at giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) or a plane glass interface. In contrast to GUVs, there is also a strong increase in friction and in mean first passage time normal to the cell membrane. This hydrodynamic coupling transfers a different amount of momentum to the interior of living cells and might serve as an ultra-soft stimulus triggering further reactions. PMID:26331245

Insulin binding to plasmamembrane receptors results in the generation of substances that acutely mimic the actions of the hormone on certain target enzymes. Two such substances, which modulate the activity of the high-affinity cAMP phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.17), have been purified from hepatic plasmamembranes. The two have similar properties and activities but can be resolved by ion-exchange chromatography and high-voltage electrophoresis. They exhibit a net negative charge, even at pH 1.9, and an apparent molecular weight of approximately 1400. The generation of these substances from membranes by insulin can be reproduced by addition of a phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C purified from Staphylococcus aureus. This enzyme is known to selectively hydrolyze phosphatidylinositol and release from membranes several proteins that are covalently linked to phosphatidylinositol by a glycan anchor. Both enzyme-modulating substances appear to be generated by the phosphodiesterase cleavage of a phosphatidylinositol-containing glycolipid precursor that has been characterized by thin-layer chromatography. Some of the chemical properties of these substances have been examined. They appear to be related complex carbohydrate-phosphate substances containing glucosamine and inositol. These findings suggest that insulin may activate a selective phospholipase activity that hydrolyzes a membrane phospholipid, releasing a carbohydrate-containing molecule that regulates cAMP phosphodiesterase and perhaps other insulin-sensitive enzymes. PMID:3016721

Abstract Upon stimulation by histamine, human vascular endothelial cells (EC) shed a soluble form of tumour necrosis factor receptor 1 (sTNFR1) that binds up free TNF, dampening the inflammatory response. Shedding occurs through proteolytic cleavage of plasmamembrane-expressed TNFR1 catalysed by TNF-α converting enzyme (TACE). Surface expressed TNFR1 on EC is largely sequestered into specific plasmamembrane microdomains, the lipid rafts/caveolae. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of these domains in TACE-mediated TNFR1 shedding in response to histamine. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells derived EA.hy926 cells respond to histamine via H1 receptors to shed TNFR1. Both depletion of cholesterol by methyl-β-cyclodextrin and small interfering RNA knockdown of the scaffolding protein caveolin-1 (cav-1), treatments that disrupt caveolae, reduce histamine-induced shedding of membrane-bound TNFR1. Moreover, immunoblotting of discontinuous sucrose gradient fractions show that TACE, such as TNFR1, is present within low-density membrane fractions, concentrated within caveolae, in unstimulated EA.hy926 endothelial cells and co-immunoprecipitates with cav-1. Silencing of cav-1 reduces the levels of both TACE and TNFR1 protein and displaces TACE, from low-density membrane fractions where TNFR1 remains. In summary, we show that endothelial lipid rafts/caveolae co-localize TACE to surface expressed TNFR1, promoting efficient shedding of sTNFR1 in response to histamine. PMID:21645239

Sphingolipids accumulate in plasmamembrane microdomain sites, such as caveolae or lipid rafts. Such microdomains are considered to be important nexuses for signal transduction, although changes in the microdomain lipid components brought about by signaling are poorly understood. Here, we applied a cationic colloidal silica bead method to analyze plasmamembrane lipids from monolayer cells cultured in a 10 cm dish. The detergent-resistant fraction from the silica bead-coated membrane was analyzed by LC-MS/MS to evaluate the microdomain lipids. This method revealed that glycosphingolipids composed the microdomains as a substitute for sphingomyelin (SM) in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (tMEFs) from an SM synthase 1/2 double KO (DKO) mouse. The rate of formation of the detergent-resistant region was unchanged compared with that of WT-tMEFs. C2-ceramide (Cer) stimulation caused greater elevations in diacylglycerol and phosphatidic acid levels than in Cer levels within the microdomains of WT-tMEFs. We also found that lipid changes in the microdomains of SM-deficient DKO-tMEFs caused by serum stimulation occurred in the same manner as that of WT-tMEFs. This practical method for analyzing membrane lipids will facilitate future comprehensive analyses of membrane microdomain-associated responses. PMID:26116739

Annexins, found in most eukaryotic species, are cytosolic proteins that are able to bind negatively-charged phospholipids in a calcium-dependent manner. Annexin A4 (AnxA4) has been implicated in diverse cellular processes, including the regulation of exocytosis and ion-transport; however, its precise mechanistic role is not fully understood. AnxA4 has been shown to aggregate on lipid layers upon Ca2+ binding in vitro, a characteristic that may be critical for its function. We have utilized advanced fluorescence microscopy to discern details on the mobility and self-assembly of AnxA4 after Ca2+ influx at the plasmamembrane in living cells. Total internal reflection microscopy in combination with Förster resonance energy transfer reveals that there is a delay between initial plasmamembrane binding and the beginning of self-assembly and this process continues after the cytoplasmic pool has completely relocated. Number-and-brightness analysis suggests that the predominant membrane bound mobile form of the protein is trimeric. There also exists a pool of AnxA4 that forms highly immobile aggregates at the membrane. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching suggests that the relative proportion of these two forms varies and is correlated with membrane morphology. PMID:23663830

Previously, our group has utilized the luminol electrochemiluminescence to analyze the active cholesterol at the plasmamembrane in single cells by the exposure of one cell to a photomultiplier tube (PMT) through a pinhole. In this paper, fast analysis of active cholesterol at the plasmamembrane in single cells was achieved by a multimicroelectrode array without the pinhole. Single cells were directly located on the microelectrodes using cell-sized microwell traps. A cycle of voltage was applied on the microelectrodes sequentially to induce a peak of luminescence from each microelectrode for the serial measurement of active membrane cholesterol. A minimal time of 1.60 s was determined for the analysis of one cell. The simulation and the experimental data exhibited a semisteady-state distribution of hydrogen peroxide on the microelectrode after the reaction of cholesterol oxidase with the membrane cholesterol, which supported the relative accuracy of the serial analysis. An eight-microelectrode array was demonstrated to analyze eight single cells in 22 s serially, including the channel switching time. The results from 64 single cells either activated by low ion strength buffer or the inhibition of intracellular acyl-coA/cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) revealed that most of the cells analyzed had the similar active membrane cholesterol, while few cells had more active cholesterol resulting in the cellular heterogeneity. The fast single-cell analysis platform developed will be potentially useful for the analysis of more molecules in single cells using proper oxidases. PMID:24328095

The molecular processes of particle binding and endocytosis are influenced by the locally changing mobility of the particle nearby the plasmamembrane of a living cell. However, it is unclear how the particle’s hydrodynamic drag and momentum vary locally and how they are mechanically transferred to the cell. We have measured the thermal fluctuations of a 1 μm-sized polystyrene sphere, which was placed in defined distances to plasmamembranes of various cell types by using an optical trap and fast three-dimensional (3D) interferometric particle tracking. From the particle position fluctuations on a 30 μs timescale, we determined the distance-dependent change of the viscous drag in directions perpendicular and parallel to the cell membrane. Measurements on macrophages, adenocarcinoma cells, and epithelial cells revealed a significantly longer hydrodynamic coupling length of the particle to the membrane than those measured at giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) or a plane glass interface. In contrast to GUVs, there is also a strong increase in friction and in mean first passage time normal to the cell membrane. This hydrodynamic coupling transfers a different amount of momentum to the interior of living cells and might serve as an ultra-soft stimulus triggering further reactions. PMID:26331245

Numerous factors including chemical, hormonal, spatial, and physical cues determine stem cell fate. While the regulation of stem cell differentiation by soluble factors is well-characterized, the role of mechanical force in the determination of lineage fate is just beginning to be understood. Investigation of the role of force on cell function has largely focused on "outside-in" signaling, initiated at the plasmamembrane. When interfaced with the extracellular matrix, the cell uses integral membrane proteins, such as those found in focal adhesion complexes to translate force into biochemical signals. Akin to these outside-in connections, the internal cytoskeleton is physically linked to the nucleus, via proteins that span the nuclear membrane. Although structurally and biochemically distinct, these two forms of mechanical coupling influence stem cell lineage fate and, when disrupted, often lead to disease. Here we provide an overview of how mechanical coupling occurs at the plasma and nuclear membranes. We also discuss the role of force on stem cell differentiation, with focus on the biochemical signals generated at the cell membrane and the nucleus, and how those signals influence various diseases. While the interaction of stem cells with their physical environment and how they respond to force is complex, an understanding of the mechanical regulation of these cells is critical in the design of novel therapeutics to combat diseases associated with aging, cancer, and osteoporosis. Stem Cells 2016;34:1455-1463. PMID:26891206

The extended synaptotagmins (E-Syts) are ER proteins that act as Ca2+-regulated tethers between the ER and the plasmamembrane (PM) and have a putative role in lipid transport between the two membranes. Ca2+ regulation of their tethering function, as well as the interplay of their different domains in such function, remains poorly understood. By exposing semi-intact cells to buffers of variable Ca2+ concentrations, we found that binding of E-Syt1 to the PI(4,5)P2-rich PM critically requires its C2C and C2E domains and that the EC50 of such binding is in the low micromolar Ca2+ range. Accordingly, E-Syt1 accumulation at ER-PM contact sites occurred only upon experimental manipulations known to achieve these levels of Ca2+ via its influx from the extracellular medium, such as store-operated Ca2+ entry in fibroblasts and membrane depolarization in β-cells. We also show that in spite of their very different physiological functions, membrane tethering by E-Syt1 (ER to PM) and by synaptotagmin (secretory vesicles to PM) undergo a similar regulation by plasmamembrane lipids and cytosolic Ca2+. PMID:26202220

An evaluation study into the effects of a job enlargement exercise indicates that the expected increases in satisfaction associated with greater work variety, novelty, and felt use of abilities were achieved. (Author/MLF)

This mini-review presents recent advances in the regulation of the membrane transbilayer movement (or flip-flop) of diacylglycerol (DAG), a key intermediate in lipid metabolism and a second messenger in lipid-mediated signaling. Despite progresses in lipid biophysics and imaging, little is known about the DAG dynamics across the two leaflets of the plasmamembrane in living cells. Previous model membrane studies with DAG analogs demonstrated their fast flip-flop suggesting that DAG is evenly distributed between the two leaflets of the plasmamembrane. However, recent molecular dynamics simulations indicate that DAG transbilayer movement depends on the lipid environment surrounding the lipid, i.e. DAG flips more slowly across a more ordered "lipid raft-like" bilayer (enriched in sphingomyelin/cholesterol) than across a more fluid bilayer (composed of unsaturated glycerophospholipids). Furthermore using the yellow fluorescent protein-tagged C1AB domain from protein kinase C-γ (EYFP-C1AB) that selectively binds DAG, we recently proved that the sphingomyelin (SM) content in the plasmamembrane outer leaflet regulates DAG transbilayer movement in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells treated with bacterial phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C. The dose-dependent inhibition of DAG flip-flop by SM could be reproduced in model membranes using fluorescent short chain DAG analog. Regulation of DAG transbilayer movement by the outer leaflet SM content is expected to modify the downstream recruitment of C1-domain containing effectors, thus bringing new insights on the role of DAG dynamics in cell pathophysiology. PMID:25241257

We previously screened genes that were transcriptionally activated during the early stage of wound response in tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum), and isolated a particular clone, which encoded a membrane-located protein, designated as NtC7. Upon overexpression in tobacco plants, NtC7 conferred a marked tolerance to osmotic stress, suggesting it to be involved in maintenance of osmotic adjustments. In this study, we searched for proteins which interact with NtC7 by the yeast two-hybrid screening, and isolated a clone encoding phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C, designated as NtPI-PLC. Physical interaction between NtC7 and C2 domain of NtPI-PLC was confirmed by the pull-down assay. Expression of fused protein to green-fluorescence protein in onion epidermal cell layers indicated both proteins to predominantly localize to the plasmamembrane. Their interaction in planta was shown by the bimolecular fluorescence complementation, which exhibited a clear fluorescence of reconstituted yellow fluorescence protein. Transcripts of NtC7 and NtPI-PLC were markedly increased 30 to 60 min after wounding. PI-PLC is one of key enzymes in metabolism of inositol phospholipids, which function in signal transduction and also in response to stresses including osmotic changes. It was shown to localize to plasma-membrane and, to a lesser extent, to cytosol. However, molecular mechanism of membrane localization has remained to be determined, because of the apparent lack of domains for membrane association. The present results suggest that one of such mechanisms is tethering NtPI-PLC to the plasmamembrane through interaction with NtC7, which possesses a transmembrane domain at the C-terminus. PMID:19704699

The new sample preparation concept "Parallel artificial liquid membrane extraction (PALME)" was evaluated for extraction of the acidic drugs ketoprofen, fenoprofen, diclofenac, flurbiprofen, ibuprofen, and gemfibrozil from human plasma samples. Plasma samples (250 μL) were loaded into individual wells in a 96-well donor plate and diluted with HCl to protonate the acidic drugs. The acidic drugs were extracted as protonated species from the individual plasma samples, through corresponding artificial liquid membranes each comprising 2 μL of dihexyl ether, and into corresponding acceptor solutions each comprising 50 μL of 25 mM ammonia solution (pH 10). The liquid membranes and the acceptor solutions were located in a 96-well filter plate, which was sandwiched with the 96-well donor plate during extraction. Parallel extraction of several samples was performed for 15 to 60 min, followed by high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection of the individual acceptor solutions. Important PALME parameters including the chemical composition of the liquid membrane, extraction time, and sample pH were optimized, and the extraction performance was evaluated. Except for flurbiprofen, exhaustive extraction was accomplished from plasma. Linearity was obtained for all six drugs in the range 0.025-10 μg/mL, with r (2) values ranging between 0.998 and 1.000. Precision data were in the range 3-22% RSD, and accuracy data were within 72-130% with spiked plasma samples. Based on the current experiences, PALME showed substantial potential for future high-throughput bioanalysis of non-polar acidic drugs. PMID:25682297

The functional consequences of the differences in lipid composition and structure between the two leaflets of the plasmamembrane were investigated. Fluorescence of 1,6-diphenylhexa-1,3,5-triene(DPH), quenching, and differential polarized phase fluorimetry demonstrated selective fluidization by local anaesthetics of individual leaflets in isolated LM-cell plasmamembranes. As measured by decreased limiting anisotropy of DPH fluorescence, cationic (prilocaine) and anionic (phenobarbital and pentobarbital) amphipaths preferentially fluidized the cytofacial and exofacial leaflets respectively. Unlike prilocaine, procaine, also a cation, fluidized both leaflets of these membranes equally. Pentobarbital stimulated 5'-nucleotidase between 0.1 and 5 mM and inhibited at higher concentrations, whereas phenobarbital only inhibited, at higher concentrations. Cationic drugs were ineffective. Two maxima of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activation were obtained with both anionic drugs. Only one activation maximum was obtained with both cationic drugs. The maximum in activity below 1 mM for all four drugs clustered about a single limiting anisotropy value in the cytofacial leaflet, whereas there was no correlation between activity and limiting anisotropy in the exofacial leaflets. Therefore, although phenobarbital and pentobarbital below 1 mM fluidized the exofacial leaflet more than the cytofacial leaflet, the smaller fluidization in the cytofacial leaflet was functionally significant for (Na+ + K+)-ATPase. Mg2+-ATPase was stimulated at 1 mM-phenobarbital, unaffected by pentobarbital and slightly stimulated by both cationic drugs at concentrations fluidizing both leaflets. Thus the activity of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase was highly sensitive to selective fluidization of the leaflet containing its active site, whereas the other enzymes examined were little affected by fluidization of either leaflet. PMID:3028369

Plant plasmamembrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs) are aquaporins that facilitate the passive movement of water and small neutral solutes through biological membranes. Here, we report that post-Golgi trafficking of PIP2;7 in Arabidopsis thaliana involves specific interactions with two syntaxin proteins, namely, the Qc-SNARE SYP61 and the Qa-SNARE SYP121, that the proper delivery of PIP2;7 to the plasmamembrane depends on the activity of the two SNAREs, and that the SNAREs colocalize and physically interact. These findings are indicative of an important role for SYP61 and SYP121, possibly forming a SNARE complex. Our data support a model in which direct interactions between specific SNARE proteins and PIP aquaporins modulate their post-Golgi trafficking and thus contribute to the fine-tuning of the water permeability of the plasmamembrane. PMID:25082856

For more than 20 years, the observation that impermeable oxidants can stimulate cell growth has not been satisfactorily explained. The discovery of sirtuins provides a logical answer to the puzzle. The NADH-dependent transplasma membrane electron transport system, which is stimulated by growth factors and interventions such as calorie restriction, can transfer electrons to external acceptors and protect against stress-induced apoptosis. We hypothesize that the activation of plasmamembrane electron transport contributes to the cytosolic NAD+ pool required for sirtuin to activate transcription factors necessary for cell growth and survival. PMID:23033342

Electrical discharge plasmas can efficiently inactivate various microorganisms. Inactivation mechanisms caused by plasma, however, are not fully understood because of the complexity of both the plasma and biological systems. We investigated plasma-induced inactivation of Escherichia coli in water and mechanisms by which plasma affects bacterial cell membrane integrity. Atmospheric pressure argon plasma jet generated at ambient air in direct contact with bacterial suspension was used as a plasma source. We determined significantly lower counts of E. coli after treatment by plasma when they were assayed using a conventional cultivation technique than using a fluorescence-based LIVE/DEAD staining method, which indicated that bacteria may have entered the viable-but-nonculturable state (VBNC). We did not achieve resuscitation of these non-culturable cells, however, we detected their metabolic activity through the analysis of cellular mRNA, which suggests that cells may have been rather in the active-but-nonculturable state (ABNC). We hypothesize that peroxidation of cell membrane lipids by the reactive species produced by plasma was an important pathway of bacterial inactivation. Amount of malondialdehyde and membrane permeability of E. coli to propidium iodide increased with increasing bacterial inactivation by plasma. Membrane damage was also demonstrated by detection of free DNA in plasma-treated water. PMID:25212700

The impact on performance of the surface energy and roughness of membrane materials used for direct contact membrane distillation are critical but yet poorly investigated parameters. The capacity to alter the wettability of highly hydrophobic materials such as poly(tetra-fluoro-ethylene) (PTFE) by gas plasma treatments is reported in this paper. An equally important contribution from this investigation arises from illustrating how vaporized material from the treated sample participates after a short while in the composition of the plasma and fundamentally changes the result of surface chemistry processes. The water contact angle across the hydrophobic membranes is generally controlled by varying the plasma gas conditions, such as the plasma power, chamber pressure and irradiation duration. Changes to surface porosity and roughness of the bulk material as well as the surface chemistry, through specific and partial de-fluorination of the surface were detected and systematically studied by Fourier transform infra-red analysis and scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the rupture of fibrils, formed during membrane processing by thermal-stretching, led to the formation of a denser surface composed of nodules similar to these naturally acting as bridging points across the membrane material between fibrils. This structural change has a profound and impart a permanent effect on the permeation across the modified membranes, which was found to be enhanced by up to 10% for long plasma exposures while the selectivity of the membranes was found to remain unaffected by the treatment at a level higher than 99.99%. This is the first time that an investigation demonstrates how the permeation characteristics of these membranes is directly related to data from spectral, morphological and surface charge analyses, which provide new insights on the impact of plasma treatments on both, the surface charge and roughness, of PTFE porous materials.

The functional characteristics of the plasmamembrane in response to a free-thaw cycle are studied in isolated protoplasts with the plasmamembrane still intact. Three different forms of injury have been characterized: intracellular ice formation, hypertonic-induced loss of osmotic responsiveness, and expansion-induced lysis. In this report, the influence of cold acclimation on the incidence of these forms of injury is emphasized. Isolated protoplasts are an excellent arena in which destabilization of the plasmamembrane can be directly observed during a freeze-thaw cycle by cryomicroscopy. 65 references, 8 figures.

The structure and the charge transport properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate) track membrane modified by pyrrole plasma were studied. It was found that polymer deposition on the surface of a track membrane via plasma polymerization of pyrrole results in the creation of composite nanomembranes that, in the case of the formation of a semipermeable layer, possess asymmetric conductivity in electrolyte solutions - a rectification effect similar to that of a p-n junction in semiconductors. It is caused by presence in the membranes of two layers with different functional groups and also by the pore geometry. Such membranes can be used to create chemical and biochemical sensors.

The effect of cetirizine on plasmamembrane fluidity and heterogeneity of human eosinophils, neutrophils, platelets and lymphocytes was investigated using a fluorescence technique. Membrane fluidity and heterogeneity were studied by measuring the steady-state fluorescence anisotropy and fluorescence decay of 1-(4- trimethylammonium-phenyl)-6-phenyl-1, 3, 5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH) incorporated in the membrane. The results demonstrate that cetirizine (1 μg/ml) induced a significant increase in the Hpid order in the exterior part of the membrane and a decrease in membrane heterogeneity in eosinophils, neutrophils and platelets. Moreover, cetirizine blocked the PAF induced changes in membrane fluidity in these cells. Cetirizine did not influence significantly the plasmamembrane of lymphocytes. These data may partially explain the effect ofcetirizine on inflammatory cell activities. PMID:18472948

Biological membranes are complex assemblies of lipids and proteins that serve as platforms for cell signaling. We have developed a novel method for measuring the structure and dynamics of the membrane based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). The method marries four technologies: (1) unroofing cells to isolate and access the cytoplasmic leaflet of the plasmamembrane; (2) patch-clamp fluorometry (PCF) to measure currents and fluorescence simultaneously from a membrane patch; (3) a synthetic lipid with a metal-chelating head group to decorate the membrane with metal-binding sites; and (4) transition metal ion FRET (tmFRET) to measure short distances between a fluorescent probe and a transition metal ion on the membrane. We applied this method to measure the density and affinity of native and introduced metal-binding sites in the membrane. These experiments pave the way for measuring structural rearrangements of membrane proteins relative to the membrane. PMID:26755772

To reduce the thermal shrinkage of the polymeric separators and improve the safety of the Li-ion batteries, plasma treatment and plasma enhanced vapor chemical deposition (PECVD) of SiOx-like are carried out on polypropylene (PP) separators, respectively. Critical parameters for separator properties, such as the thermal shrinkage rate, porosity, wettability, and mechanical strength, are evaluated on the plasma treated PP membranes. O2 plasma treatment is found to remarkably improve the wettability, porosity and electrolyte uptake. PECVD SiOx-like coatings are found to be able to effectively reduce the thermal shrinkage rate of the membranes and increase the ionic conductivity. The electrolyte-philicity of the SiOx-like coating surface can be tuned by the varying O2 content in the gas mixture during the deposition. Though still acceptable, the mechanical strength is reduced after PECVD, which is due to the plasma etching. supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 11175024, 11375031), the Beijing Institute of Graphic and Communication Key Project of China (No. 23190113051), the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Committee of China (No. JCYJ20130329181509637), BJNSFC (No. KZ201510015014), and the State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment of China (No. EIPE15208)

The central nervous system (CNS) insults may cause massive demyelination and lead to the release of myelin-associated proteins including its major component myelin basic protein (MBP). MBP is reported to induce glial activation but its effect on neurons is still little known. Here we found that MBP specifically bound to the extracellular surface of the neuronal plasmamembrane and induced neurotoxicity in vitro. This effect of MBP on neurons was basicity-dependent because the binding was blocked by acidic lipids and competed by other basic proteins. Further studies revealed that MBP induced damage to neuronal membrane integrity and function by depolarizing the resting membrane potential, increasing the permeability to cations and other molecules, and decreasing the membrane fluidity. At last, artificial liposome vesicle assay showed that MBP directly disturbed acidic lipid bilayer and resulted in increased membrane permeability. These results revealed that MBP induces neurotoxicity through its direct interaction with acidic components on the extracellular surface of neuronal membrane, which may suggest a possible contribution of MBP to the pathogenesis in the CNS disorders with myelin damage. PMID:25255088

Ethanol-induced structural changes in membranes have in some studies been attributed to an increase in total membrane cholesterol. Consistent changes in cholesterol content, however, have not been observed in membranes of ethanol consuming animals and alcoholic patients. This study examined the hypotheses that cholesterol was asymmetrically distributed in synaptic plasmamembranes (SPM) and that chronic ethanol consumption alters the transbilayer distribution of cholesterol. Dehydroergosterol, a fluorescent cholesterol analogue was used to examine sterol distribution and exchange in chronic ethanol-treated and pair-fed control groups. The cytofacial leaflet was found to have significantly more dehydroergosterol as compared to the exofacial leaflet. This asymmetric distribution was significantly reduced by chronic ethanol consumption as was sterol transport. Total cholesterol content did not differ between the two groups. Chronic ethanol consumption appeared to alter transbilayer sterol distribution as determined by the incorporation and distribution of dehydroergosterol in SPM. The changes in transbilayer sterol distribution are consistent with recent reports on the asymmetric effects of ethanol in vitro ((1988) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 946, 85-94) and in vivo ((1989) J. Neurochem. 52, 1925-1930) on membrane leaflet structure. The results of this study also underscore the importance of examining membrane lipid domains in addition to the total content of different lipids. PMID:2364080

Rapid acquisition of quantitative anatomical data from the sieve tubes of angiosperm phloem has been confounded by their small size, their distance from organ surfaces, and the time-consuming nature of traditional methods, such as transmission electron microscopy. To improve access to these cells, for which good anatomical data are critical, a monomeric yellow fluorescent protein (mCitrine) was N-terminally fused to a small (approximately 6 kD) membrane protein (AtRCI2A) and stably expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana (Columbia-0 ecotype) and Nicotiana tabacum (‘Samsun’) under the control of a companion cell-specific promoter (AtSUC2p). The construct, called by its abbreviation SUmCR, yielded stable sieve element (SE) plasmamembrane fluorescence labeling, even after plastic (methacrylate) embedding. In conjunction with wide-field fluorescence measurements of sieve pore number and position using aniline blue-stained callose, mCitrine-labeled material was used to calculate rough estimates of sieve tube-specific conductivity for both species. The SUmCR construct also revealed a hitherto unknown expression domain of the AtSUC2 Suc-H+ symporter in the epidermis of the cell division zone of developing root tips. The success of this construct in targeting plasmamembrane-anchored fluorescent proteins to SEs could be attributable to the small size of AtRCI2A or to the presence of other signals innate to AtRCI2A that permit the protein to be trafficked to SEs. The construct provides a hitherto unique entrée into companion cell-to-SE protein targeting, as well as a new tool for studying whole-plant phloem anatomy and architecture. PMID:18223149

The transport of (/sup 3/H) 1,L 5-formyltetrahydrofolate, (/sup 3/H) folic acid, and (/sup 3/H)methotrexate by L1210 cell plasmamembrane vesicles exhibited multicompartmental behavior. Two separate vesicular compartments (parallel relationship) of approximately equal volume were revealed during measurements of influx and efflux. Flux in one compartment was rapid, saturable, highly temperature-sensitive, and inhibited by pCMBS. Flux in the other compartment exhibited all of the characteristics of passive diffusion. These results imply that our plasmamembrane vesicle preparations consist of a mixture of two functional species. Transport of folate into one of these species occurs by passive diffusion alone, whereas transport into the other kind of vesicle occurs by both passive diffusion and carrier-facilitated transport.

The ability of nanoparticles (NPs) to be promptly uptaken by the cells makes them both dangerous and useful to human health. It was recently postulated that some NPs might cross the plasmamembrane also by a non-endocytotic pathway gaining access to the cytoplasm. To this aim, after having filled mature Xenopus oocytes with Calcein, whose fluorescence is strongly quenched by divalent metal ions, we have exposed them to different cobalt NPs quantifying quenching as evidence of the increase of the concentration of Co2+ released by the NPs that entered into the cytoplasm. We demonstrated that cobalt oxide NPs, but not cobalt nor cobalt oxide NPs that were surrounded by a protein corona, can indeed cross plasmamembranes. PMID:26924527

The effects of phorbol ester tumor promoters on the lateral diffusion in plasmamembrane lipid environments were examined by the technique of fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. To this end, the probe collarein, a fluorescent lipid analog that has the property of exclusive localization in the plasmamembrane, was synthesized. Measured decreases in three parameters [percentage of fluorescence bleached (30%), percentage of recovery (52%), and half-time for recovery (52%)] connoted the appearance of an immobile fraction upon exposure to tumor promoters. These data are consistent with lipid reorganization in response to a reorganization of the intra- and perimembranous macromolecular scaffolding upon the interaction of cells with tumor promoters. The idea of induced reorganization is supported by experiments in which cell shape change, brought about by either exposure to cytochalasin B or growth on matrices of collagen, fibronectin, or laminin, resulted in values in the fluorescence recovery after photobleaching technique similar to those with active phorbol esters.

Non-enzymatic glycation of peptides and proteins by D-glucose has important implications in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus, particularly in the development of diabetic complications. In this report, a thorough proteomic profiling of glycated proteins was attempted by using phenylboronate affinity chromatography to enrich glycated proteins and glycated, tryptic peptides from human plasma and erythrocyte membranes. Enriched peptides were subsequently analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with electron transfer dissociation tandem mass spectrometry, and 76 and 31 proteins were confidently identified as glycated from human plasma and erythrocyte membrane, respectively. It was observed that most of the glycated proteins can be identified in samples from individuals with normal glucose tolerance, although samples from individuals with impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes mellitus have slightly higher numbers of glycated proteins and more glycation sites identified.

Poly(L-lactic acid), PLLA, electrospun membranes and films were plasma treated at different times and power with argon (Ar) and oxygen (O2), independently, in order to modify the hydrophobic nature of the PLLA membranes. Both Ar and O2 plasma treatments promote an increase in fiber average size of the electrospun membranes from 830 ± 282 nm to 866 ± 361 and 1179 ± 397 nm, respectively, for the maximum exposure time (970 s) and power (100 W). No influence of plasma treatment was detected in the physical-chemical characteristics of PLLA, such as chemical structure, polymer phase or degree of crystallinity. On the other hand, an increase in the roughness of the films was obtained both with argon and oxygen plasma treatments. Surface wettability studies revealed a decrease in the contact angle with increasing plasma treatment time for a given power and with increasing power for a given time in membranes and films and superhydrophilic electrospun fiber membranes were obtained. Results showed that the argon and oxygen plasma treatments can be used to tailor hydrophilicity of PLLA membranes for biomedical applications. MTT assay results indicated that plasma treatments under Ar and O2 do not influence the metabolic activity of MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblast cells.

Ten subjects (from 27 to 41 years) have been participated in 32 experiments. They were decompressed from ground level to 40-35 kPa in altitude chamber when breathed 100% oxygen by mask and performed repeated cycles of exercises (3.0 Kcal/min). The intervals between decompressions were 3-5 days. Plasma lipid and erythrocyte membrane fatty acid composition was evaluated in the fasting venous blood before and immediately after hypobaric exposure. There were 7 cases decompression sickness (DCS). Venous gas bubbles (GB) were detected in 27 cases (84.4%). Any significant changes in the fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membranes and plasma didn't practically induce after the first decompression. However, by the beginning of the second decompression the total lipid level in erythrocyte membranes decreased from 54.6 mg% to 40.4 mg% in group with DCS symptoms and from 51.2 mg% to 35.2 mg% (p < 0.05) without DCS symptoms. In group with DCS symptoms a tendency to increased level of saturated fatty acids in erythrocyte membranes (16:0, 18:0), the level of the polyunsaturated linoleic fatty acid (18:2) and arachidonic acid (20:4) tended to be decreased by the beginning of the second decompression. Insignificant changes in blood plasma fatty acid composition was observed in both groups. The obtained biochemical data that indicated the simulated extravehicular activity (EVA) condition is accompanied by the certain changes in the blood lipid metabolism, structural and functional state of erythrocyte membranes, which are reversible. The most pronounced changes are found in subjects with DCS symptoms.

Plasmamembrane electron transport (PMET), a cytosolic/plasmamembrane analog of mitochondrial electron transport, is a ubiquitous system of cytosolic and plasmamembrane oxidoreductases that oxidizes cytosolic NADH and NADPH and passes electrons to extracellular targets. While PMET has been shown to play an important role in a variety of cell types, no studies exist to evaluate its function in insulin-secreting cells. Here we demonstrate the presence of robust PMET activity in primary islets and clonal β-cells, as assessed by the reduction of the plasmamembrane-impermeable dyes WST-1 and ferricyanide. Because the degree of metabolic function of β-cells (reflected by the level of insulin output) increases in a glucose-dependent manner between 4 and 10 mM glucose, PMET was evaluated under these conditions. PMET activity was present at 4 mM glucose and was further stimulated at 10 mM glucose. PMET activity at 10 mM glucose was inhibited by the application of the flavoprotein inhibitor diphenylene iodonium and various antioxidants. Overexpression of cytosolic NAD(P)H-quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) increased PMET activity in the presence of 10 mM glucose while inhibition of NQO1 by its inhibitor dicoumarol abolished this activity. Mitochondrial inhibitors rotenone, antimycin A, and potassium cyanide elevated PMET activity. Regardless of glucose levels, PMET activity was greatly enhanced by the application of aminooxyacetate, an inhibitor of the malate-aspartate shuttle. We propose a model for the role of PMET as a regulator of glycolytic flux and an important component of the metabolic machinery in β-cells. PMID:21505151

We investigated the identity and distribution of cortical domains, stained by the endocytic marker FM 1-43, in branchlet internodal cells of the characean green algae Chara corallina and Chara braunii. Co-labeling with NBD C(6)-sphingomyelin, a plasmamembrane dye, which is not internalized, confirmed their location in the plasmamembrane, and co-labelling with the fluorescent pH indicator Lysotracker red indicated an acidic environment. The plasmamembrane domains co-localized with the distribution of an antibody against a proton-translocating ATPase, and electron microscopic data confirmed their identity with elaborate plasmamembrane invaginations known as charasomes. The average size and the distribution pattern of charasomes correlated with the pH banding pattern of the cell. Charasomes were larger and more frequent at the acidic regions than at the alkaline bands, indicating that they are involved in outward-directed proton transport. Inhibition of photosynthesis by DCMU prevented charasome formation, and incubation in pH buffers resulted in smaller, homogenously distributed charasomes irrespective of whether the pH was clamped at 5.5 or 8.5. These data indicate that the differential size and distribution of charasomes is not due to differences in external pH but reflects active, photosynthesis-dependent pH banding. The fact that pH banding recovered within several minutes in unbuffered medium, however, confirms that pH banding is also possible in cells with evenly distributed charasomes or without charasomes. Cortical mitochondria were also larger and more abundant at the acid bands, and their intimate association with charasomes and chloroplasts suggests an involvement in carbon uptake and photorespiration. PMID:21659328

Background The virulence of Candida species depends on many environmental conditions. Extracellular pH and concentration of alkali metal cations belong among important factors. Nevertheless, the contribution of transporters mediating the exchange of alkali metal cations for protons across the plasmamembrane to the cell salt tolerance and other physiological properties of various Candida species has not been studied so far. Results The tolerance/sensitivity of four pathogenic Candida species to alkali metal cations was tested and the role of one of the cation transporters in that tolerance (presumed to be the plasma-membrane Na+/H+ antiporter) was studied. The genes encoding these antiporters in the most and least salt sensitive species, C. dubliniensis and C. parapsilosis respectively, were identified, cloned and functionally expressed in the plasmamembranes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells lacking their own cation exporters. Both CpCnh1 and CdCnh1 antiporters had broad substrate specificity and transported Na+, K+, Li+, and Rb+. Their activity in S. cerevisiae cells differed; CpCnh1p provided cells with a much higher salt tolerance than the CdCnh1 antiporter. The observed difference in activity was confirmed by direct measurements of sodium and potassium efflux mediated by these antiporters. Conclusion We have cloned two genes encoding putative Na+/H+ antiporters in C. parapsilosis and C. dubliniensis, and characterized the transport properties of encoded proteins. Our results show that the activity of plasma-membrane Na+/H+ antiporters is one of the factors determining the tolerance of pathogenic Candida species to high external concentrations of alkali metal cations. PMID:18492255

The TRPM7 (transient receptor potential melastatin 7) ion channel has been implicated in the uptake of Mg2+ into vertebrate cells, as elimination of TRPM7 expression through gene targeting in DT40 B-lymphocytes renders them unable to grow in the absence of supplemental Mg2+. However, a residual capacity of TRPM7-deficient cells to accumulate Mg2+ and proliferate when provided with supplemental Mg2+ suggests the existence of Mg2+ uptake mechanism(s) other than TRPM7. Evaluation of the expression of several members of the SLC41 (solute carrier family 41) family, which exhibit homology with the MgtE class of prokaryotic putative bivalent-cation transporters, demonstrated that one, SLC41A2 (solute carrier family 41 member 2), is expressed in both wild-type and TRPM7-deficient DT40 cells. Characterization of heterologously expressed SLC41A2 protein indicated that it is a plasma-membrane protein with an N-terminus-outside/C-terminus-inside 11-TM (transmembrane)-span topology, consistent with its functioning as a trans-plasma-membrane transporter. In contrast with a previous report of ion-channel activity associated with SLC41A2 expression in oocytes, investigation of whole cell currents in SLC41A2-expressing DT40 cells revealed no novel currents of any type associated with SLC41A2 expression. However, expression of SLC41A2 in TRPM7-deficient cells under the control of a doxycycline-inducible promoter was able to conditionally enhance their net uptake of 26Mg2+ and conditionally and dose-dependently provide them with the capacity to grow in the absence of supplemental Mg2+, observations strongly supporting a model whereby SLC41A2 directly mediates trans-plasma-membrane Mg2+ transport. Overall, our results suggest that SLC41A2 functions as a plasma-membrane Mg2+ transporter in vertebrate cells. PMID:16984228

The occurrence, morphology, and possible ontogeny of plasma-membrane-related structures are described which can develop into invaginations or intravacuolar formations. An underlying study of meristematic tissues from the shoot of Vinca rosea supports the interpretation that endocytosis does occur in plant cells and that it is appropriate to refer to these structures as endocytoses. The function of these invaginations or their content remains to be elucidated.

Plasmamembrane integrity is essential for cell life. Any major break on it immediately induces the death of the affected cell. Different molecules were described as disrupting this cell structure and thus showing antitumor activity. We have previously defined that elisidepsin (Irvalec®, PM02734) inserts and self-organizes in the plasmamembrane of tumor cells, inducing a rapid loss of membrane integrity, cell permeabilization and necrotic death. Here we show that, in sensitive HCT-116 colorectal cells, all these effects are consequence of the interaction of elisidepsin with glycosylceramides in the cell membrane. Of note, an elisidepsin-resistant subline (HCT-116-Irv) presented reduced levels of glycosylceramides and no accumulation of elisidepsin in the plasmamembrane. Consequently, drug treatment did not induce the characteristic necrotic cell death. Furthermore, GM95, a mutant derivative from B16 mouse melanoma cells lacking ceramide glucosyltransferase (UGCG) activity and thus the synthesis of glycosylceramides, was also resistant to elisidepsin. Over-expression of UGCG gene in these deficient cells restored glycosylceramides synthesis, rendering them sensitive to elisidepsin, at a similar level than parental B16 cells. These results indicate that glycosylceramides act as membrane targets of elisidepsin, facilitating its insertion in the plasmamembrane and the subsequent membrane permeabilization that leads to drug-induced cell death. They also indicate that cell membrane lipids are a plausible target for antineoplastic therapy. PMID:26474061

The plasmamembrane (PM) H(+)-ATPase is an important ion pump in the plant cell membrane. By extruding protons from the cell and generating a membrane potential, this pump energizes the PM, which is a prerequisite for growth. Modification of the autoinhibitory terminal domains activates PM H(+)-ATPase activity, and on this basis it has been hypothesized that these regulatory termini are targets for physiological factors that activate or inhibit proton pumping. In this review, we focus on the posttranslational regulation of the PM H(+)-ATPase and place regulation of the pump in an evolutionary and physiological context. The emerging picture is that multiple signals regulating plant growth interfere with the posttranslational regulation of the PM H(+)-ATPase. PMID:26584714

The goal of this experimental project was to design and fabricate a reactor and membrane test cell to dissociate hydrogen sulfide (H{sub 2}S) in a nonthermal plasma and to recover hydrogen (H{sub 2}) through a superpermeable multi-layer membrane. Superpermeability of hydrogen atoms (H) has been reported by some researchers using membranes made of Group V transition metals (niobium, tantalum, vanadium, and their alloys), but it was not achieved at the moderate pressure conditions used in this study. However, H{sub 2}S was successfully decomposed at energy efficiencies higher than any other reports for the high H{sub 2}S concentration and moderate pressures (corresponding to high reactor throughputs) used in this study.

ABSTRACT The process of host cell invasion by Trypanosoma cruzi shares mechanistic elements with plasmamembrane injury and repair. Both processes require Ca2+-triggered exocytosis of lysosomes, exocytosis of acid sphingomyelinase and formation of ceramide-enriched endocytic compartments. T. cruzi invades at peripheral sites, suggesting a need for spatial regulation of membrane traffic. Here, we show that Exo70 and Sec8 (also known as EXOC7 and EXOC4, respectively), components of the exocyst complex, accumulate in nascent T. cruzi vacuoles and at sites of mechanical wounding. Exo70 or Sec8 depletion inhibits T. cruzi invasion and Ca2+-dependent resealing of mechanical wounds, but does not affect the repair of smaller lesions caused by pore-forming toxins. Thus, T. cruzi invasion and mechanical lesion repair share a unique requirement for the exocyst, consistent with a dependence on targeted membrane delivery. PMID:25380822

Proton pumps in the plasmamembrane of plants and yeasts maintain the intracellular pH and membrane potential. To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms of proton pumping, we built an atomic homology model of the proton pump based on the 2.6 angstrom x-ray structure of the related Ca2+ pump from rabbit sarcoplasmic reticulum. The model, when fitted to an 8 angstrom map of the Neurospora proton pump determined by electron microscopy, reveals the likely path of the proton through the membrane and shows that the nucleotide-binding domain rotates by approximately 70 degrees to deliver adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to the phosphorylation site. A synthetic peptide corresponding to the carboxyl-terminal regulatory domain stimulates ATPase activity, suggesting a mechanism for proton transport regulation. PMID:12169656

This study introduces a simple, reproducible assay for HLA class I antigen using antibodies against beta 2-microglobulin and the heavy chain on HLA. The sandwich technique was named mixed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (MELISA), and was designed for identification of plasmamembranes in neutrophil subcellular fractions. The subcellular localization of HLA was identical to that of other plasmamembrane markers, [3H]concanavalin A and detergent-independent alkaline phosphatase, and was unchanged by stimulation of cells by weak and strong secretagogues. In addition to the presence as part of the HLA complex in the plasmamembrane uncomplexed beta 2-microglobulin is present in the specific granules of neutrophils. However, the release of beta 2-microglobulin from intact neutrophils stimulated with formyl-methionylleucylphenylalanine was much higher than could be explained by exocytosis of specific granules. Subcellular fractionation studies demonstrated that beta 2-microglobulin is localized in fractions characterized by latent alkaline phosphatase and released from this novel secretory compartment in response to stimulation with formyl-methionylleucylphenylalanine. PMID:2181625

The Ca{sup 2+}-promoted Ras inactivator (CAPRI), a Ras GTPase-activating protein, is involved in the inactivation of mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. However, a precise role of CAPRI in immune responses is still unknown. Here we showed that overexpression of CAPRI suppresses antigen-induced degranulation and cytokine production in mast cells (RBL cells). Antigen elicited the translocation of CAPRI to the plasmamembrane from the cytoplasm, which was concomitant with the increase in the intracellular Ca{sup 2+} concentration. The nuclear import of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) occurred after the re-localization of CAPRI to the cytoplasm in the mast cells, suggesting that the early phase of ERK2 activation is eliminated. A mutant of GAP-related domain, CAPRI(R472S), showed a feeble translocation to the plasmamembrane but did not affect the degranulation, ERK2 activation, and cytokine production. The results suggested that the translocation of CAPRI to the plasmamembranes regulates crucially cellular responses in mast cells.

The small GTPase RhoA is involved in cell morphology and migration. RhoA activity is tightly regulated in time and space and depends on guanine exchange factors (GEFs). However, the kinetics and subcellular localization of GEF activity towards RhoA are poorly defined. To study the mechanism underlying the spatiotemporal control of RhoA activity by GEFs, we performed single cell imaging with an improved FRET sensor reporting on the nucleotide loading state of RhoA. By employing the FRET sensor we show that a plasmamembrane located RhoGEF, p63RhoGEF, can rapidly activate RhoA through endogenous GPCRs and that localized RhoA activity at the cell periphery correlates with actin polymerization. Moreover, synthetic recruitment of the catalytic domain derived from p63RhoGEF to the plasmamembrane, but not to the Golgi apparatus, is sufficient to activate RhoA. The synthetic system enables local activation of endogenous RhoA and effectively induces actin polymerization and changes in cellular morphology. Together, our data demonstrate that GEF activity at the plasmamembrane is sufficient for actin polymerization via local RhoA signaling. PMID:26435194

Lipophorin, the main Drosophila lipoprotein, circulates in the hemolymph transporting lipids between organs following routes that must adapt to changing physiological requirements. Lipophorin receptors expressed in developmentally dynamic patterns in tissues such as imaginal discs, oenocytes and ovaries control the timing and tissular distribution of lipid uptake. Using an affinity purification strategy, we identified a novel ligand for the lipophorin receptors, the circulating lipoprotein Lipid Transfer Particle (LTP). We show that specific isoforms of the lipophorin receptors mediate the extracellular accumulation of LTP in imaginal discs and ovaries. The interaction requires the LA-1 module in the lipophorin receptors and is strengthened by a contiguous region of 16 conserved amino acids. Lipophorin receptor variants that do not interact with LTP cannot mediate lipid uptake, revealing an essential role of LTP in the process. In addition, we show that lipophorin associates with the lipophorin receptors and with the extracellular matrix through weak interactions. However, during lipophorin receptor-mediated lipid uptake, LTP is required for a transient stabilization of lipophorin in the basolateral plasmamembrane of imaginal disc cells. Together, our data suggests a molecular mechanism by which the lipophorin receptors tether LTP to the plasmamembrane in lipid acceptor tissues. LTP would interact with lipophorin particles adsorbed to the extracellular matrix and with the plasmamembrane, catalyzing the exchange of lipids between them. PMID:26121667

NEU3 sialidase has been shown to be a key player in many physio- and pathological processes, including cell differentiation, cellular response to hypoxic stress, and carcinogenesis. The enzyme, peculiarly localized on the outer leaflet of the plasmamembrane, has been shown to be able to remove sialic acid residues from the gangliosides present on adjacent cells, thus creating cell to cell interactions. Nonetheless, herein we report that the enzyme localization is dynamically regulated between the plasmamembrane and the endosomes, where a substantial amount of NEU3 is stored with low enzymatic activity. However, under opportune stimuli, NEU3 is shifted from the endosomes to the plasmamembrane, where it greatly increases the sialidase activity. Finally, we found that NEU3 possesses also the ability to interact with specific proteins, many of which are different in each cell compartment. They were identified by mass spectrometry, and some selected ones were also confirmed by cross-immunoprecipitation with the enzyme, supporting NEU3 involvement in the cell stress response, protein folding, and intracellular trafficking. PMID:26987901

Multipotent progenitor cells have shown promise for use in biomedical applications and regenerative medicine. The implementation of such cells for clinical application requires a synchronized, phenotypically and/or genotypically, homogenous cell population. Here we have demonstrated the implementation of a biological tag-free dielectrophoretic device used for discrimination of multipotent myoblastic C2C12 model. The multipotent capabilities in differentiation, for these cells, diminishes with higher passage number, so for cultures above 70 passages only a small percentage of cells is able to differentiate into terminal myotubes. In this work we demonstrated that we could recover, above 96% purity, specific cell types from a mixed population of cells at high passage number without any biological tag using dielectrophoresis. The purity of the samples was confirmed by cytometric analysis using the cell specific marker embryonic myosin. To further investigate the dielectric properties of the cell plasmamembrane we co-culture C2C12 with similar size, when in suspension, GFP-positive fibroblast as feeder layer. The level of separation between the cell types was above 98% purity which was confirmed by flow cytometry. These levels of separation are assumed to account for cell size and for the plasmamembrane morphological differences between C2C12 and fibroblast unrelated to the stages of the cell cycle which was assessed by immunofluorescence staining. Plasmamembrane conformational differences were further confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. PMID:23933253

Here, the effects of the ethylene-releasing compound, ethephon, and the ethylene precursor, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), on ionic currents across plasmamembranes and on the cytosolic Ca(2+) activity ([Ca(2+)](c)) of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) suspension cells were characterized using a patch-clamp technique and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Exposure of tobacco protoplasts to ethephon and ACC led to activation of a plasmamembrane cation channel that was permeable to Ba(2+), Mg(2+) and Ca(2+), and inhibited by La(3+), Gd(3+) and Al(3+). The ethephon- and ACC-induced Ca(2+)-permeable channel was abolished by the antagonist of ethylene perception (1-metycyclopropene) and by the inhibitor of ACC synthase (aminovinylglycin), indicating that activation of the Ca(2+)-permeable channels results from ethylene. Ethephon elicited an increase in the [Ca(2+)](c) of tobacco suspension cells, as visualized by the Ca(2+)-sensitive probe Fluo-3 and confocal microscopy. The ethephon-induced elevation of [Ca(2+)](c) was markedly inhibited by Gd(3+) and BAPTA, suggesting that an influx of Ca(2+) underlies the elevation of [Ca(2+)](c). These results indicate that an elevation of [Ca(2+)](c), resulting from activation of the plasmamembrane Ca(2+)-permeable channels by ethylene, is an essential component in ethylene signaling in plants. PMID:17447907

Cells permeabilized by the bacterial pore-forming toxin streptolysin O (SLO) reseal their plasmamembrane in a Ca2+-dependent manner. Resealing involves Ca2+-dependent exocytosis of lysosomes, release of acid sphingomyelinase and rapid formation of endosomes that carry the transmembrane pores into the cell. The intracellular fate of the toxin-carrying endocytic vesicles, however, is still unknown. Here, we show that SLO pores removed from the plasmamembrane by endocytosis are sorted into the lumen of lysosomes, where they are degraded. SLO-permeabilized cells contain elevated numbers of total endosomes, which increase gradually in size while transitioning from endosomes with flat clathrin coats to large multivesicular bodies (MVBs). Under conditions that allow endocytosis and plasmamembrane repair, SLO is rapidly ubiquitinated and gradually degraded, in a process sensitive to inhibitors of lysosomal hydrolysis but not of proteasomes. The endosomes induced by SLO permeabilization become increasingly acidified and promote SLO degradation under normal conditions, but not in cells silenced for expression of Vps24, an ESCRT-III complex component required for the release of intraluminal vesicles into MVBs. Thus, cells dispose of SLO transmembrane pores by ubiquitination/ESCRT-dependent sorting into the lumen of late endosomes/lysosomes. PMID:22212686

Retroviruses package a dimeric genome comprising two copies of the viral RNA. Each RNA contains all of the genetic information for viral replication. Packaging a dimeric genome allows the recovery of genetic information from damaged RNA genomes during DNA synthesis and promotes frequent recombination to increase diversity in the viral population. Therefore, the strategy of packaging dimeric RNA affects viral replication and viral evolution. Although its biological importance is appreciated, very little is known about the genome dimerization process. HIV-1 RNA genomes dimerize before packaging into virions, and RNA interacts with the viral structural protein Gag in the cytoplasm. Thus, it is often hypothesized that RNAs dimerize in the cytoplasm and the RNA-Gag complex is transported to the plasmamembrane for virus assembly. In this report, we tagged HIV-1 RNAs with fluorescent proteins, via interactions of RNA-binding proteins and motifs in the RNA genomes, and studied their behavior at the plasmamembrane by using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. We showed that HIV-1 RNAs dimerize not in the cytoplasm but on the plasmamembrane. Dynamic interactions occur among HIV-1 RNAs, and stabilization of the RNA dimer requires Gag protein. Dimerization often occurs at an early stage of the virus assembly process. Furthermore, the dimerization process is probably mediated by the interactions of two RNA-Gag complexes, rather than two RNAs. These findings advance the current understanding of HIV-1 assembly and reveal important insights into viral replication mechanisms. PMID:26712001

Vertebrate ankyrin-B and ankyrin-G exhibit divergent subcellular localization and function despite their high sequence and structural similarity and common origin from a single ancestral gene at the onset of chordate evolution. Previous studies of ankyrin family diversity have focused on the C-terminal regulatory domain. Here, we identify an ankyrin-B-specific linker peptide connecting the ankyrin repeat domain to the ZU52-UPA module that inhibits binding of ankyrin-B to membrane protein partners E-cadherin and neurofascin 186 and prevents association of ankyrin-B with epithelial lateral membranes as well as neuronal plasmamembranes. The residues of the ankyrin-B linker required for autoinhibition are encoded by a small exon that is highly divergent between ankyrin family members but conserved in the ankyrin-B lineage. We show that the ankyrin-B linker suppresses activity of the ANK repeat domain through an intramolecular interaction, likely with a groove on the surface of the ANK repeat solenoid, thereby regulating the affinities between ankyrin-B and its binding partners. These results provide a simple evolutionary explanation for how ankyrin-B and ankyrin-G have acquired striking differences in their plasmamembrane association while maintaining overall high levels of sequence similarity. PMID:23569209

The plasmamembrane contains diverse and specialized membrane domains, which include tetraspanin-enriched domains (TEMs) and transmembrane adaptor protein (TRAP)-enriched domains. Recent biophysical, microscopic, and functional studies indicated that TEMs and TRAP-enriched domains are involved in compartmentalization of physicochemical events of such important processes as immunoreceptor signal transduction and chemotaxis. Moreover, there is evidence of a cross-talk between TEMs and TRAP-enriched domains. In this review we discuss the presence and function of such domains and their crosstalk using mast cells as a model. The combined data based on analysis of selected mast cell-expressed tetraspanins [cluster of differentiation (CD)9, CD53, CD63, CD81, CD151)] or TRAPs [linker for activation of T cells (LAT), non-T cell activation linker (NTAL), and phosphoprotein associated with glycosphingolipid-enriched membrane microdomains (PAG)] using knockout mice or specific antibodies point to a diversity within these two families and bring evidence of the important roles of these molecules in signaling events. An example of this diversity is physical separation of two TRAPs, LAT and NTAL, which are in many aspects similar but show plasmamembrane location in different microdomains in both non-activated and activated cells. Although our understanding of TEMs and TRAP-enriched domains is far from complete, pharmaceutical applications of the knowledge about these domains are under way. PMID:27243007

Aquaporin membrane protein channels mediate cellular water flow. Human aquaporin 5 (AQP5) is highly expressed in the respiratory system and secretory glands where it facilitates the osmotically-driven generation of pulmonary secretions, saliva, sweat and tears. Dysfunctional trafficking of AQP5 has been implicated in several human disease states, including Sjögren's syndrome, bronchitis and cystic fibrosis. In order to investigate how the plasmamembrane expression levels of AQP5 are regulated, we studied real-time translocation of GFP-tagged AQP5 in HEK293 cells. We show that AQP5 plasmamembrane abundance in transfected HEK293 cells is rapidly and reversibly regulated by at least three independent mechanisms involving phosphorylation at Ser156, protein kinase A activity and extracellular tonicity. The crystal structure of a Ser156 phosphomimetic mutant indicates that its involvement in regulating AQP5 membrane abundance is not mediated by a conformational change of the carboxy-terminus. We suggest that together these pathways regulate cellular water flow. PMID:26569106

Aquaporin membrane protein channels mediate cellular water flow. Human aquaporin 5 (AQP5) is highly expressed in the respiratory system and secretory glands where it facilitates the osmotically-driven generation of pulmonary secretions, saliva, sweat and tears. Dysfunctional trafficking of AQP5 has been implicated in several human disease states, including Sjögren’s syndrome, bronchitis and cystic fibrosis. In order to investigate how the plasmamembrane expression levels of AQP5 are regulated, we studied real-time translocation of GFP-tagged AQP5 in HEK293 cells. We show that AQP5 plasmamembrane abundance in transfected HEK293 cells is rapidly and reversibly regulated by at least three independent mechanisms involving phosphorylation at Ser156, protein kinase A activity and extracellular tonicity. The crystal structure of a Ser156 phosphomimetic mutant indicates that its involvement in regulating AQP5 membrane abundance is not mediated by a conformational change of the carboxy-terminus. We suggest that together these pathways regulate cellular water flow. PMID:26569106

Sorting of membrane proteins between compartments of the secretory pathway is mediated in part by their transmembrane domains (TMDs). In animal cells, TMD length is a major factor in Golgi retention. In yeast, the role of TMD signals is less clear; it has been proposed that membrane proteins travel by default to the vacuole, and are prevented from doing so by cytoplasmic signals. We have investigated the targeting of the yeast endoplasmic reticulum (ER) t-SNARE Ufe1p. We show that the amino acid sequence of the Ufe1p TMD is important for both function and ER targeting, and that the requirements for each are distinct. Targeting is independent of Rer1p, the only candidate sorting receptor for TMD sequences currently known. Lengthening the Ufe1p TMD allows transport along the secretory pathway to the vacuole or plasmamembrane. The choice between these destinations is determined by the length and composition of the TMD, but not by its precise sequence. A longer TMD is required to reach the plasmamembrane in yeast than in animal cells, and shorter TMDs direct proteins to the vacuole. TMD-based sorting is therefore a general feature of the yeast secretory pathway, but occurs by different mechanisms at different points. PMID:9155009

Objective. Short infrared (IR) laser pulses have been used to stimulate action potentials in neurons both in vivo and in vitro. However, the mechanism(s) underlying this phenomenon has remained elusive. In vitro studies have found that pulsed IR exposure generates a nearly instant change in capacitance in the plasmamembrane, characterized by inward rectification, a common feature in pore-forming exposures, such as electrical pulses and acoustic shock waves. Based on this similarity, we hypothesize that the mechanism of IR stimulation is the formation of short-lived nanopores in the plasmamembrane. These transient, small-diameter pores allow the influx of extracellular ions that lead to action potential generation, possibly through activation of secondary messenger pathways or depolarization of the cell membrane resulting in activation of voltage-gated ion channels. Approach. A variety of fluorescent markers are used to observe the cell response to IR stimulation to monitor for effects indicative of nanoporation in other modalities. Main results. We observe rapid, transient rises in intracellular Ca2+, influx of YO-PRO-1 and propidium iodide into the cell signifying membrane permeabilization, cellular blebbing and swelling, and activation of the intracellular phosphoinositides lipid signaling pathway. Significance. This conclusion better explains the experimental observations and limitations of IR-induced neurological stimulation and represents a distinct theoretical shift in the understanding of the mechanism of IR-induced stimulation.

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is a plasma-membrane anion channel that, when mutated, causes the disease cystic fibrosis. Although CFTR has been detected in a detergent-resistant membrane fraction prepared from airway epithelial cells, suggesting that it may partition into cholesterol-rich membrane microdomains (lipid rafts), its compartmentalization has not been demonstrated in intact cells and the influence of microdomains on CFTR lateral mobility is unknown. We used live-cell imaging, spatial image correlation spectroscopy, and k-space image correlation spectroscopy to examine the aggregation state of CFTR and its dynamics both within and outside microdomains in the plasmamembrane of primary human bronchial epithelial cells. These studies were also performed during treatments that augment or deplete membrane cholesterol. We found two populations of CFTR molecules that were distinguishable based on their dynamics at the cell surface. One population showed confinement and had slow dynamics that were highly cholesterol dependent. The other, more abundant population was less confined and diffused more rapidly. Treatments that deplete the membrane of cholesterol caused the confined fraction and average number of CFTR molecules per cluster to decrease. Elevating cholesterol had the opposite effect, increasing channel aggregation and the fraction of channels displaying confinement, consistent with CFTR recruitment into cholesterol-rich microdomains with dimensions below the optical resolution limit. Viral infection caused the nanoscale microdomains to fuse into large platforms and reduced CFTR mobility. To our knowledge, these results provide the first biophysical evidence for multiple CFTR populations and have implications for regulation of their surface expression and channel function. PMID:26153705

Membrane proteins are involved in diverse cellular processes and are an integral component of many signaling cascades, but due to their highly hydrophobic nature and the complexities associated with studying these proteins in planta, alternative methods are being developed to better characterize these proteins on a proteome-wide scale. In our previous work ( Mitra , S. K. et al. J. Proteome Res. 2007 , 6 , ( 5 ), 1933 - 50 ), methanol-assisted solubilization was determined to facilitate the identification of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic membrane proteins compared to Brij-58 solubilization and was particularly effective for leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases (LRR RLKs). To improve peptide identification and to overcome sample losses after tryptic digestion, we have developed an effective chloroform extraction method to promote plasmamembrane protein identification. The use of chloroform extraction over traditional solid-phase extraction (SPE) prior to off-line strong cation exchange liquid chromatography (SCXC) and reversed-phase liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) analysis facilitated the removal of chlorophylls, major contaminants of plant tissue preparations that can affect downstream analysis, in addition to the effective removal of trypsin used in the digestion. On the basis of a statistically derived 5% false discovery rate, the chloroform extraction procedure increased the identification of unique peptides for plasmamembrane proteins over SPE by 70% which produced nearly a 2-fold increase in detection of membrane transporters and LRR RLKs without increased identification of contaminating Rubisco and ribosomal peptides. Overall, the combined use of methanol and chloroform provides an effective method to study membrane proteins and can be readily applied to other tissues and cells types for proteomic analysis. PMID:19334764

The plasmamembrane delimits the cell and controls material and information exchange between itself and the environment. How different plasma-membrane processes are coordinated and how the relative abundance of plasma-membrane lipids and proteins is homeostatically maintained are not yet understood. Here, we used a quantitative genetic interaction map, or E-MAP, to functionally interrogate a set of ~400 genes involved in various aspects of plasma-membrane biology, including endocytosis, signaling, lipid metabolism and eisosome function. From this E-MAP, we derived a set of 57,799 individual interactions between genes functioning in these various processes. Using triplet genetic motif analysis, we identified a new component of the eisosome, Eis1, and linked the poorly characterized gene EMP70 to endocytic and eisosome function. Finally, we implicated Rom2, a GDP/GTP exchange factor for Rho1 and Rho2, in the regulation of sphingolipid metabolism. PMID:20526336

In vitro blood filtration was performed by a closed circuit using high cut-off membraneplasma separators, EVACURE EC-2A10 (EC-2A) and EVACURE EC-4A10 (EC-4A). Samples were obtained from sampling sites before the plasma separator, after each plasma separator, and from the ultrafiltrate of each separator. The sieving coefficient (S.C.) of total protein (TP), albumin (Alb), IgG, interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), fibrinogen (Fib), antithrombin III (AT-III), and coagulation factor XIII (FXIII) were calculated. The S.C. of each solute using EC-2A and EC-A4 were as follows; TP: 0.25 and 0.56, Alb: 0.32 and 0.73, IgG: 0.16 and 0.50, IL-6:0.73 and 0.95, IL-8:0.85 and 0.82, TNF-α: 1.07 and 0.99, Fib: 0 and 0, FXIII: 0.07 and 0.17, respectively. When compared with the conventional type of membraneplasma separators, EVACURE could efficiently remove cytokines while retaining coagulation factors such as fibrinogen. Moreover, EC-2A prevented protein loss, whereas EC-4A could remove approximately 50% of IgG. PMID:24107276

The GTP-driven component of Ca{sup 2+} uptake in red beet (Beta vulgaris L.) plasmamembrane vesicles was further characterized to confirm its association with the plasmamembrane Ca{sup 2+}-translocating ATPase and assess its utility as a probe for this transport system. Uptake of {sup 45}Ca{sup 2+} in the presence of GTP demonstrated similar properties to those previously observed for red beet plasmamembrane vesicles utilizing ATP with respect to pH optimum sensitivity to orthovanadate, dependence on Mg:substrate concentration and dependence on Ca{sup 2+} concentration. Calcium uptake in the presence of GTP was also strongly inhibited by erythrosin B, a potent inhibitor of the plant plasmamembrane Ca{sup 2+}-ATPase. Furthermore, after treatment with EGTA to remove endogenous calmodulin, the stimulation of {sup 45}Ca{sup 2+}-uptake by exogeneous calmodulin was nearly equivalent in the presence of either ATP or GTP. Taken together these results support the proposal that GTP-driven {sup 45}Ca{sup 2+} uptake represents the capacity of the plasmamembrane Ca{sup 2+}-translocating ATPase to utilize this nucleoside triphosphate as an alternative substrate. When plasmamembrane vesicles were phosphorylated with ({gamma}-{sup 32}P)GTP, a rapidly turning over, 100 kilodalton phosphorylated peptide was observed which contained an acyl-phosphate linkage. While it is proposed that this peptide could represent the catalytic subunit of the plasmamembrane Ca{sup 2+}-ATPase, it is noted that this molecular weight is considerably lower than the 140 kilodalton size generally observed for plasmamembrane Ca{sup 2+}-ATPases present in animal cells.

Here we describe the isolation and characterization of a Triton X-100-insoluble fraction isolated from lysates of platelets by flotation in sucrose gradients. Transmission electron microscopy of the insoluble material revealed a heterogeneous population of vesicles ranging in size from 20 to 1000 nm, and Western blot analyses of platelet lysates for the caveolae structural coat protein, caveolin/VIP21, were negative. Biochemical characterization of the Triton X-100-insoluble fraction showed it to be cholesterol-rich, greatly and specifically enriched in the plasmamembrane glycoprotein CD36, and also to contain Src and the Src-related kinase, Lyn. CD36 within this fraction is shown to be palmitoylated, but the fraction itself is not generally enriched in palmitoylated platelet proteins. These results suggest that this fraction represents caveolin-negative, CD36-rich microdomains in the resting platelet membrane. CD36 can form associations with certain Src-related kinases and can signal to activate platelets. These results suggest the possibility that such microdomains are implicated in platelet activation. PMID:8870650

Plasma medicine is an emerging research field in which various applications of electrical discharge, especially in the form of nonequilibrium plasma at atmospheric pressure, are examined, for example, the application of plasma to biological targets for various purposes such as selective killing of tumor cells and blood stanching. We have focused on the behavior of an artificial cell membrane system at the solid-liquid interface. To evaluate the lateral lipid mobility, we measured the diffusion coefficient of the supported lipid bilayer (SLB) composed of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine with fluorescence recovery after photobleaching by confocal laser scanning microscopy. It was found that the diffusion coefficient was decreased by plasma irradiation and that the diffusion coefficient decreasing rate proceeded with increasing plasma power. We investigated the effects of stimulation with an equilibrium chemical, H2O2, on the SLB and confirmed that the diffusion coefficient did not change at least up to a H2O2 concentration of 5 mM. These results indicate that transient active species generated by plasma play critical roles in the reduction in SLB fluidity. The effects of the two generated major oxidized lipid species, hydroxyl- or hydroperoxy-phosphatidylcholine (PC) and acyl-chain-truncated PCs terminated with aldehyde or carboxyl group, on lateral lipid mobility are discussed.

The plant plasmamembrane is the interface between the cell and its environment undertaking a range of important functions related to transport, signaling, cell wall biosynthesis, and secretion. Multiple proteomic studies have attempted to capture the diversity of proteins in the plasmamembrane using biochemical fractionation techniques. In this study, two-phase partitioning was combined with free-flow electrophoresis to produce a population of highly purified plasmamembrane vesicles that were subsequently characterized by tandem mass spectroscopy. This combined high-quality plasmamembrane isolation technique produced a reproducible proteomic library of over 1000 proteins with an extended dynamic range including plasmamembrane-associated proteins. The approach enabled the detection of a number of putative plasmamembrane proteins not previously identified by other studies, including peripheral membrane proteins. Utilizing multiple data sources, we developed a PM-confidence score to provide a value indicating association to the plasmamembrane. This study highlights over 700 proteins that, while seemingly abundant at the plasmamembrane, are mostly unstudied. To validate this data set, we selected 14 candidates and transiently localized 13 to the plasmamembrane using a fluorescent tag. Given the importance of the plasmamembrane, this data set provides a valuable tool to further investigate important proteins. The mass spectrometry data are available via ProteomeXchange, identifier PXD001795. PMID:26781341

The Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1) protein regulates cholesterol transport from late endosomes-lysosomes to other intracellular compartments. In this article, cholesterol transport to caveolin-1 and caveolin-2 containing compartments, such as the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and plasmamembrane caveolae, was examined in normal (NPC+/+), NPC heterozygous (NPC+/-), and NPC homozygous (NPC-/-) human fibroblasts. The expression and distribution of NPC1 in each cell type were similar, and characterized by a finely dispersed, granular staining pattern. The expression of caveolin-1 and caveolin-2 was increased in NPC+/- and NPC-/- fibroblasts, although the distribution in each cell type was similar and characterized by predominant staining of the TGN and plasmamembrane. The TGN in NPC+/+ fibroblasts was relatively cholesterol-enriched, whereas the TGN in NPC+/- and NPC-/- fibroblasts was partially or completely cholesterol-deficient, respectively. Consistent with studies demonstrating the transport of cholesterol from the TGN to plasmamembrane caveolae, the concentration of cholesterol in plasmamembrane caveolae isolated from NPC+/- and NPC-/- fibroblasts was significantly decreased, even though the total concentration of plasmamembrane cholesterol in each cell type was similar. These studies demonstrate that NPC1 regulates cholesterol transport to caveolin-1 and caveolin-2 containing compartments such as the TGN and plasmamembrane caveolae. PMID:11907140

Membrane fractions enriched in endoplasmic reticulum (ER), tonoplast and Golgi membranes (TG) and plasmamembranes (PM) were prepared from barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv CM 72) roots and the lipid compositions of the three fractions were analyzed and compared. Plants were grown in an aerated nutrient solution with or without 100 millimolar NaCl. Each membrane fraction had a characteristic lipid composition. The mole per cent of the individual phospholipids, glycolipids, and sterols in each fraction was not altered when roots were grown in 100 millimolar NaCl. The ER had the highest percentages of phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine of the three fractions (7 and 45 mole per cent, respectively, of the total lipid). The TG contained the highest percentage of glycosylceramide (13 mole per cent). The PM had the highest percentage of phosphatidylserine (3 mole per cent) and nearly equal percentages of phosphatidylethanolamine (15 mole per cent and phosphatidylcholine (18 mole per cent). The most abundant sterols in membranes prepared from barley roots were stigmasterol (10 mole per cent), sitosterol (50 mole per cent), and 24ζ-methylcholesterol (40 mole per cent of the total sterol). Salt-treated plants contained a slightly higher percentage of stigmasterol than controls. The percentage of stigmasterol increased with age and a simple cause and effect relationship between salt treatment and sterol composition was not observed. PMID:16666904

A luminol electrochemiluminescence assay was reported to analyze active cholesterol at the plasmamembrane in single mammalian cells. The cellular membrane cholesterol was activated by the exposure of the cells to low ionic strength buffer or the inhibition of intracellular acyl-coA/cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT). The active membrane cholesterol was reacted with cholesterol oxidase in the solution to generate a peak concentration of hydrogen peroxide on the electrode surface, which induced a measurable luminol electrochemiluminescence. Further treatment of the active cells with mevastatin decreased the active membrane cholesterol resulting in a drop in luminance. No change in the intracellular calcium was observed in the presence of luminol and voltage, which indicated that our analysis process might not interrupt the intracellular cholesterol trafficking. Single cell analysis was performed by placing a pinhole below the electrode so that only one cell was exposed to the photomultiplier tube (PMT). Twelve single cells were analyzed individually, and a large deviation on luminance ratio observed exhibited the cell heterogeneity on the active membrane cholesterol. The smaller deviation on ACAT/HMGCoA inhibited cells than ACAT inhibited cells suggested different inhibition efficiency for sandoz 58035 and mevastatin. The new information obtained from single cell analysis might provide a new insight on the study of intracellular cholesterol trafficking. PMID:23527944

Membrane pathway for intracellular cadmium (Cd(2+)) accumulation is not fully elucidated in many organisms and has not been studied in crab gill cells. To characterize membrane Cd(2+) transport of anterior and posterior gill cells of Ucides cordatus, a hypo-hyper-regulating crab, a change in intracellular Cd(2+) concentration under various experimental conditions was examined by using FluoZin, a fluorescent probe. The membrane Cd(2+) transport was estimated by the augmentation of FluoZin fluorescence induced by extracellular application of CdCl2 and different inhibitors. Addition of extracellular calcium (Ca(2+)) to the cells affected little the fluorescence of FluoZin, confirming that Cd(2+) was the main ion increasing intracellular fluorescence. Ca(2+) channels blockers (nimodipine and verapamil) decreased Cd(2+) influx as well as vanadate, a Ca(2+)-ATPase blocker. Chelating intracellular Ca(2+) (BAPTA) decreased Cd(2+) influx in gill cells, while increasing intracellular Ca(2+) (caffeine) augmented Cd influx. Cd(2+) and ATP added at different temporal conditions were not effective at increasing intracellular Cd(2+) accumulation. Ouabain (Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase inhibitor) increased Cd(2+) influx probably through a change in intracellular Na and/or a change in cell membrane potential. Routes of Cd(2+) influx, a non-essential metal, through the gill cell plasmamembrane of crabs are suggested. PMID:25456216

Plant membranes bear a variety of transporters belonging to multigene families that are affected by environmental and nutritional conditions. In addition, they often display high-sequence identity, making difficult in-depth investigation by current shot-gun strategies. In this study, we set up a targeted proteomics approach aimed at identifying and quantifying within single experiments the five major proton pumps of the autoinhibited H(+) ATPases (AHA) family, the 13 plasmamembrane intrinsic proteins (PIP) water channels (PIPs), and ten members of ammonium transporters (AMTs) and nitrate transporter (NRT) families. Proteotypic peptides were selected and isotopically labeled heavy versions were used for technical optimization and for quantification of the corresponding light version in biological samples. This approach allowed to quantify simultaneously nine PIPs in leaf membranes and 13 PIPs together with three autoinhibited H(+) ATPases, two ammonium transporters, and two NRTs in root membranes. Similarly, it was used to investigate the effect of a salt stress on the expression of these latter 20 transporters in roots. These novel isoform-specific data were compared with published transcriptome information and revealed a close correlation between PIP isoforms and transcripts levels. The obtained resource is reusable and can be expanded to other transporter families for large-scale profiling of membrane transporters. PMID:21413151

Rop9 is a small GTPase of the Type II class, whereas the often studied type I Rops play roles during pollen tube growth. In pollen, Rop9 is located at the invaginated plasmamembrane that surrounds the sperm cells, whereas type I Rops are located at the apical membrane of the pollen tube. The C-ter...

The plasmamembrane is an important organelle providing structure, signaling and transport as major biological functions. Being composed of lipids and proteins with different physicochemical properties, the biological functions of membranes depend on specific protein–protein and protein–lipid interactions. Interactions of proteins with their specific sterol and lipid environment were shown to be important factors for protein recruitment into sub-compartmental structures of the plasmamembrane. System-wide implications of altered endogenous sterol levels for membrane functions in living cells were not studied in higher plant cells. In particular, little is known how alterations in membrane sterol composition affect protein and lipid organization and interaction within membranes. Here, we conducted a comparative analysis of the plasmamembrane protein and lipid composition in Arabidopsis sterol-biosynthesis mutants smt1 and ugt80A2;B1. smt1 shows general alterations in sterol composition while ugt80A2;B1 is significantly impaired in sterol glycosylation. By systematically analyzing different cellular fractions and combining proteomic with lipidomic data we were able to reveal contrasting alterations in lipid–protein interactions in both mutants, with resulting differential changes in plasmamembrane signaling status. PMID:24672530

Plant plasmamembrane H+-ATPase acts as a primary transporter via proton pumping and regulates diverse physiological responses by controlling secondary solute transport, pH homeostasis, and membrane potential. Phosphorylation of the penultimate threonine and the subsequent binding of 14-3-3 proteins in the carboxyl terminus of the enzyme are required for H+-ATPase activation. We showed previously that photosynthesis induces phosphorylation of the penultimate threonine in the nonvascular bryophyte Marchantia polymorpha. However, (1) whether this response is conserved in vascular plants and (2) the process by which photosynthesis regulates H+-ATPase phosphorylation at the plasmamembrane remain unresolved issues. Here, we report that photosynthesis induced the phosphorylation and activation of H+-ATPase in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) leaves via sugar accumulation. Light reversibly phosphorylated leaf H+-ATPase, and this process was inhibited by pharmacological and genetic suppression of photosynthesis. Immunohistochemical and biochemical analyses indicated that light-induced phosphorylation of H+-ATPase occurred autonomously in mesophyll cells. We also show that the phosphorylation status of H+-ATPase and photosynthetic sugar accumulation in leaves were positively correlated and that sugar treatment promoted phosphorylation. Furthermore, light-induced phosphorylation of H+-ATPase was strongly suppressed in a double mutant defective in ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and triose phosphate/phosphate translocator (adg1-1 tpt-2); these mutations strongly inhibited endogenous sugar accumulation. Overall, we show that photosynthesis activated H+-ATPase via sugar production in the mesophyll cells of vascular plants. Our work provides new insight into signaling from chloroplasts to the plasmamembrane ion transport mechanism. PMID:27016447

Glucose metabolism causes activation of the yeast plasma-membrane H+-ATPase. The molecular mechanism of this regulation is not known, but it is probably mediated by phosphorylation of the enzyme. The involvement in this process of several kinases has been suggested but their actual role has not been proved. The physiological role of a calmodulin-dependent protein kinase in glucose-induced activation was investigated by studying the effect of specific calmodulin antagonists on the glucose-induced ATPase kinetic changes in wild-type and two mutant strains affected in the glucose regulation of the enzyme. Preincubation of the cells with calmidazolium or compound 48/80 impeded the increase in ATPase activity by reducing the Vmax of the enzyme without modifying the apparent affinity for ATP in the three strains. In one mutant, pma1-T912A, the putative calmodulin-dependent protein kinase-phosphorylatable Thr-912 was eliminated, and in the other, pma1-P536L, H+-ATPase was constitutively activated, suggesting that the antagonistic effect was not mediated by a calmodulin-dependent protein kinase and not related to glucose regulation. This was corroborated when the in vitro effect of the calmodulin antagonists on H+-ATPase activity was tested. Purified plasmamembranes from glucose-starved or glucose-fermenting cells from both pma1-P890X, another constitutively activated ATPase mutant, and wild-type strains were preincubated with calmidazolium or melittin. In all cases, ATP hydrolysis was inhibited with an IC50 of approximately 1 microM. This inhibition was reversed by calmodulin. Analysis of the calmodulin-binding protein pattern in the plasma-membrane fraction eliminates ATPase as the calmodulin target protein. We conclude that H+-ATPase inhibition by calmodulin antagonists is mediated by an as yet unidentified calmodulin-dependent membrane protein. PMID:9148755

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are emerging nanotechnology materials which are likely to be mass-produced in the near future. However, prior to mass-production, certain health-related concerns should first be addressed. For example, when inhaled, the thin-fibrous shape and the biopersistent characteristics of CNTs may cause pulmonary diseases, in a manner similar to asbestos. In the present study, mouse macrophages (J774.1) were exposed to highly-purified multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs, 67 nm) or to UICC crocidolite in order to evaluate the toxicity of these nano-size fibers. The cytotoxicity of MWCNTs was found to be higher than that of crocidolite. The toxic effect of MWCNTs was not affected by N-acetylcysteine, an antioxidant, or buthionine sulfoximine, a glutathione synthesis inhibitor. cDNA microarray analyses suggested that the cytotoxicity of MWCNTs could not be explained satisfactorily by either an increase or decrease of gene expression, although mRNA levels of some cytokines were slightly increased by MWCNTs. Moreover, MWCNTs did not significantly activate either MAP kinases such as ERK, JNK and p38, nor common apoptosis pathways such as caspase 3 and PARP. Electron microscopic studies indicated that MWCNTs associate with the plasmamembrane of macrophages and disrupt the integrity of the membrane. Several proteins were found to adsorb onto MWCNTs when MWCNT-exposed macrophages were gently lysed. One of these proteins was macrophage receptor with collagenous structure (MARCO). MARCO-transfected CHO-K1 cells associated with MWCNTs more rapidly than mock-transfected cells. These results indicate that MWCNTs probably trigger cytotoxic effects in phagocytotic cells by reacting with MARCO on the plasmamembrane and rupturing the plasmamembrane.

A switchable surface that promotes either hydrophobic or hydrophilic wettability of poly (L-lactide) (PLLA) microfibrous membranes is obtained by CF₄ microwave plasma treatment in this paper. The results indicated that both etching and grafting process occurred during the CF₄ plasma treatment and these two factors synergistically affected the final surface wettability of PLLA membranes. When plasma treatment was taken under a relatively low power, the surface wettability of PLLA membranes turned from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. Especially when CF₄ plasma treatment was taken under 100 W for 10 min and 150 W for 5 min, the water contact angle sharply decreased from 116 ± 3.0° to ~0°. According to Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) results, the PLLA fibers were notably etched by CF₄ plasma treatment. Combined with the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements, only a few fluorine-containing groups were grafted onto the surface, so the etching effect directly affected the surface wettability of PLLA membranes in low plasma power condition. However, with the plasma power increasing to 200 W, the PLLA membrane surface turned to hydrophobic again. In contrast, the morphology changes of PLLA fiber surfaces were not obvious while a large number of fluorine-containing groups grafted onto the surface. So the grafting effect gradually became the major factor for the final surface wettability.

A switchable surface that promotes either hydrophobic or hydrophilic wettability of poly (L-lactide) (PLLA) microfibrous membranes is obtained by CF₄ microwave plasma treatment in this paper. The results indicated that both etching and grafting process occurred during the CF₄ plasma treatment and these two factors synergistically affected the final surface wettability of PLLA membranes. When plasma treatment was taken under a relatively low power, the surface wettability of PLLA membranes turned from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. Especially when CF₄ plasma treatment was taken under 100 W for 10 min and 150 W for 5 min, the water contact angle sharply decreasedmore » from 116 ± 3.0° to ~0°. According to Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) results, the PLLA fibers were notably etched by CF₄ plasma treatment. Combined with the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements, only a few fluorine-containing groups were grafted onto the surface, so the etching effect directly affected the surface wettability of PLLA membranes in low plasma power condition. However, with the plasma power increasing to 200 W, the PLLA membrane surface turned to hydrophobic again. In contrast, the morphology changes of PLLA fiber surfaces were not obvious while a large number of fluorine-containing groups grafted onto the surface. So the grafting effect gradually became the major factor for the final surface wettability.« less

Growing plant cells are shaped by an extensible wall that is a complex amalgam of cellulose microfibrils bonded noncovalently to a matrix of hemicelluloses, pectins, and structural proteins. Cellulose is synthesized by complexes in the plasmamembrane and is extruded as a self-assembling microfibril, whereas the matrix polymers are secreted by the Golgi apparatus and become integrated into the wall network by poorly understood mechanisms. The growing wall is under high tensile stress from cell turgor and is able to enlarge by a combination of stress relaxation and polymer creep. A pH-dependent mechanism of wall loosening, known as acid growth, is characteristic of growing walls and is mediated by a group of unusual wall proteins called expansins. Expansins appear to disrupt the noncovalent bonding of matrix hemicelluloses to the microfibril, thereby allowing the wall to yield to the mechanical forces generated by cell turgor. Other wall enzymes, such as (1-->4) beta-glucanases and pectinases, may make the wall more responsive to expansin-mediated wall creep whereas pectin methylesterases and peroxidases may alter the wall so as to make it resistant to expansin-mediated creep.

The authors evaluated the role of a high-protein, low-calorie, polyunsaturated fatty-acid (PUFA) -supplemented diet on anthropometric parameters, erythrocyte-membrane fatty-acid composition, and plasma antioxidant defenses of nonprofessional volleyball athletes. The athletes were divided in two groups: One (n = 5) followed the Mediterranean diet, and the other (n = 6) followed a high-protein, low-calorie diet with a 3-g/day fish-oil supplementation. All the athletes had anthropometric measurements taken, both at the beginning and at the end of the study, which lasted for 2 months. Body-mass index and total body fat were significantly diminished in the second group, while they remained unchanged in the first. Plasma total antioxidant activity (TAA) was significantly increased in the plasma of both groups, with no differences between the groups, suggesting that physical activity, not the different diets, is the main contributor to the increase of plasma TAA. The second group showed a significant increase in erythrocyte-membrane PUFA content and in the unsaturation index value (UI) because of the fish-oil supplementation.A high-protein, low-carbohydrate, fish-oil-supplemented diet seems to be useful only when the aim of the diet is to obtain weight loss in a short-term period. The significant increase in the UI of erythrocyte membranes indicates the potential for harm, because a high intake of PUFA might increase susceptibility to lipid peroxidation not counterbalanced by a higher increase in TAA. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet seems to be the better choice. PMID:18562771

Control of intracellular calcium concentrations ([Ca2+]i) is essential for neuronal function, and the plasmamembrane Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA) is crucial for the maintenance of low [Ca2+]i. We previously reported on loss of PMCA activity in brain synaptic membranes during aging. Gangliosides are known to modulate Ca2+ homeostasis and signal transduction in neurons. In the present study, we observed age-related changes in the ganglioside composition of synaptic plasmamembranes. This led us to hypothesize that alterations in ganglioside species might contribute to the age-associated loss of PMCA activity. To probe the relationship between changes in endogenous ganglioside content or composition and PMCA activity in membranes of cortical neurons, we induced depletion of gangliosides by treating neurons with D-threo-1-phenyl-2-decanoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol (D-PDMP). This caused a marked decrease in the activity of PMCA, which suggested a direct correlation between ganglioside content and PMCA activity. Neurons treated with neuraminidase exhibited an increase in GM1 content, a loss in poly-sialoganglioside content, and a decrease in PMCA activity that was greater than that produced by D-PDMP treatment. Thus, it appeared that poly-sialogangliosides had a stimulatory effect whereas mono-sialogangliosides had the opposite effect. Our observations add support to previous reports of PMCA regulation by gangliosides by demonstrating that manipulations of endogenous ganglioside content and species affect the activity of PMCA in neuronal membranes. Furthermore, our studies suggest that age-associated loss in PMCA activity may result in part from changes in the lipid environment of this Ca2+ transporter. PMID:24434060

The uptake of corticosterone by highly purified plasmamembrane vesicles of rat liver was studied by a rapid-centrifugation technique which allows uptake measurements within 5 s. The vesicles are free of soluble cytoplasmic constituents. Therefore, association of hormone with the vesicle is attributed entirely to components of the vesicle-membrane. Half maximal uptake is reached at 8 s at 21 degrees C. At 15 degrees C transition of the lipid state in the membrane leads to a decrease of uptake, a characteristic property common to membrane mediated processes. The uptake of corticosterone is saturable and reversible but does not follow normal saturation kinetics. The apparent dissociation constants of three uptake systems bear direct relation to the concentration of free corticosterone in rat plasma (4-16 nM) supporting a physiological role for the system. Uptake of corticosterone decreases with decreases in vesicular volume; about 50% of the hormone is bound specifically and 50% is transported to the lumen of the vesicle. Since outflow of intravesicular hormone also occurs readily, the uptake and transport is proposed to be mediated by putative "carriers". The "carrier" preferentially transports glucocorticoids; dexamethasone is not taken up by this putative molecule. Steroids with 5 alpha conformation are more potent inhibitors of the "carrier" for corticosterone than 5 beta-steroids. Androgens and estrogens are weak competitors of corticosterone. The affinity of the "carrier" for several hormones differs considerably from that of the cytoplasmic receptor. Morris hepatoma cells (MH 3924) do not take up corticosterone. Our results prompt us to propose the hypothesis that the transport function of the "carrier" and the binding of the hormone by the cytoplasmic receptor are two different entities; perturbation of the "carrier" may lead to steroid unresponsiveness. Normal expression of steroid hormone activity is manifested in the concerted action of the functionally

ATP-binding cassette A1 (ABCA1), ABCG1, and ABCG4 are lipid transporters that mediate the efflux of cholesterol from cells. To analyze the characteristics of these lipid transporters, we examined and compared their distributions and lipid efflux activity on the plasmamembrane. The efflux of cholesterol mediated by ABCA1 and ABCG1, but not ABCG4, was affected by a reduction of cellular sphingomyelin levels. Detergent solubility and gradient density ultracentrifugation assays indicated that ABCA1, ABCG1, and ABCG4 were distributed to domains that were solubilized by Triton X-100 and Brij 96, resistant to Triton X-100 and Brij 96, and solubilized by Triton X-100 but resistant to Brij 96, respectively. Furthermore, ABCG1, but not ABCG4, was colocalized with flotillin-1 on the plasmamembrane. The amounts of cholesterol extracted by methyl-β-cyclodextrin were increased by ABCA1, ABCG1, or ABCG4, suggesting that cholesterol in non-raft domains was increased. Furthermore, ABCG1 and ABCG4 disturbed the localization of caveolin-1 to the detergent-resistant domains and the binding of cholera toxin subunit B to the plasmamembrane. These results suggest that ABCA1, ABCG1, and ABCG4 are localized to distinct membrane meso-domains and disturb the meso-domain structures by reorganizing lipids on the plasmamembrane; collectively, these observations may explain the different substrate profiles and lipid efflux roles of these transporters. PMID:25302608

The goals of this project are to provide a mechanistic understanding of freezedehydration-induced mesonmorphic phase transitions in the plasmamembrane of winter cereals that are manifested as alterations in the ultrastructure (lateral phase separations, aparticulate lamellae and hexagonal/sub II/ configurations) and which result in the loss of osmotic responsiveness of protoplasts isolated from non-acclimated rye leaves and to determine the cellular and molecular mechanims by which cold acclimation and cryoprotectants preclude or diminish these alternations in the plasmamembrane. This past year, our efforts have focused on dehydration-induced lamellar-to-hexagonal/sub II/ phase transitions in the plasmamembrane of isolated protoplasts and liposomes of plasmamembrane lipids, characterization of the phase behavior plasmamembrane lipids, development of a theory for membrane destabilization at low water contents and effects of freezingosmotic dehydration on ATPase activity and protein composition of the plasmamembrane.

Binding of 125I-labeled insulin to rat liver and adipocyte plasmamembranes has been investigated after treatment of the membranes with agents that modify disulfide bonds or sulfhydryl groups. Dithiothreitol, a disulfide-reducing agent, produced a bimodal response in adipocyte plasmamembranes with dose-dependent increases in binding occurring over the range of 0-1 mM dithiothreitol; 5 mM dithiothreitol produced decreased binding. Insulin binding reached its maximal increase at 1 mM and was 3 times control values. Scatchard analysis of the 1 mM dithiothreitol effect revealed a straight line plot indicative of one class of sites with a Ka of 1.0× 108 M-1 which is intermediate between the two Kas obtained from the curvilinear Scatchard plot of control membranes. There was a 20-fold increase in the number of intermediate-affinity receptors compared to high-affinity receptors. The increased 125I-labeled insulin binding after dithiothreitol treatment was reversed by oxidized glutathione in a dose-dependent manner. Interposition of treatment with N-ethylmaleimide, an alkylating agent, prevented oxidized glutathione from reversing the dithiothreitol effect. Reduced glutathione produced the same effect as dithiothreitol. Liver plasmamembranes treated with up to 1 mM dithiothreitol exhibited a maximum increase in insulin binding of 20% compared to control. Dithiothreitol at 5 mM decreased insulin binding below that of control membranes. The results indicate that the dithiothreitol effect on insulin binding to adipocyte plasmamembranes is due to disruption of disulfide bonds, and that the structural organization of the insulin receptor on the plasmamembranes is different for liver and for adipose tissue. The data imply that the insulin receptors on the plasmamembrane of adipocytes possess at least two functionally distinct subclasses of disulfide bond but liver insulin receptors do not.

The response of sperm to cryopreservation and the fertility of frozen-thawed semen varies between species. Besides species differences in sperm physiology, structure and biochemistry, factors such as sperm transport and female reproductive tract anatomy will affect fertility of frozen-thawed semen. Therefore, studying differences in sperm cryotolerance between breeds and individuals instead of between species may reveal sources of variability in sperm cryotolerance. In the present study, the effect of cooling, re-warming and freezing and thawing on plasmamembrane and acrosome integrity of sperm within and between Norwegian Landrace and Duroc breeds was studied. Furthermore, the relation between post-thaw survival rate and fatty acid composition of the sperm plasmamembranes was investigated. Flow cytometry assessments of plasmamembrane and acrosome integrity revealed no significant differences between breeds; however there were significant male-to-male variations within breeds in post-thaw percentages of live sperm (plasmamembrane intact). The most abundant fatty acids in the plasmamembranes from both breeds were palmitic acid (16:0), stearic acid (18:0), oleic acid (18:1, n-9), docosapentaenoic acid (22:5, n-6) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6, n-3). The ratio of sigma operator 22:5, n-6 and 22:6, n-3/ sigma operator all other membrane fatty acids was significantly related to survival rate (plasmamembrane integrity) of sperm for both Norwegian Landrace (correlation coefficient (r(s)) = 0.64, P < 0.05) and Duroc (r(s) = 0.67, P < 0.05) boars. In conclusion, male-to-male differences in sperm survival rate after freezing and thawing may be partly related to the amount of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in the sperm plasmamembranes. PMID:16672353

The pyrrolizidine alkaloid monocrotaline (MCT) initiates pulmonary hypertension by inducing a "megalocytosis" phenotype in target pulmonary arterial endothelial, smooth muscle and Type II alveolar epithelial cells. In cultured endothelial cells, a single exposure to the pyrrolic derivative of monocrotaline (MCTP) results in large cells with enlarged endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi and increased vacuoles. However, these cells fail to enter mitosis. Largely based upon data from endothelial cells, we proposed earlier that a disruption of the trafficking and mitosis-sensor functions of the Golgi (the "Golgi blockade" hypothesis) may represent the subcellular mechanism leading to MCTP-induced megalocytosis. In the present study, we investigated the applicability of the Golgi blockade hypothesis to epithelial cells. MCTP induced marked megalocytosis in cultures of lung A549 and breast MCF-7 cells. This was associated with a change in the distribution of the cis-Golgi scaffolding protein GM130 from a discrete juxtanuclear localization to a circumnuclear distribution consistent with an anterograde block of GM130 trafficking to/through the Golgi. There was also a loss of plasmamembrane caveolin-1 and E-cadherin, cortical actin together with a circumnuclear accumulation of clathrin heavy chain (CHC) and alpha-tubulin. Flotation analyses revealed losses/alterations in the association of caveolin-1, E-cadherin and CHC with raft microdomains. Moreover, megalocytosis was accompanied by an enhanced unfolded protein response (UPR) as evidenced by nuclear translocation of Ire1alpha and glucose regulated protein 58 (GRP58/ER-60/ERp57) and a circumnuclear accumulation of PERK kinase and protein disulfide isomerase (PDI). These data further support the hypothesis that an MCTP-induced Golgi blockade and enhanced UPR may represent the subcellular mechanism leading to enlargement of ER and Golgi and subsequent megalocytosis. PMID:16000202

The pyrrolizidine alkaloid monocrotaline (MCT) initiates pulmonary hypertension by inducing a 'megalocytosis' phenotype in target pulmonary arterial endothelial, smooth muscle and Type II alveolar epithelial cells. In cultured endothelial cells, a single exposure to the pyrrolic derivative of monocrotaline (MCTP) results in large cells with enlarged endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi and increased vacuoles. However, these cells fail to enter mitosis. Largely based upon data from endothelial cells, we proposed earlier that a disruption of the trafficking and mitosis-sensor functions of the Golgi (the 'Golgi blockade' hypothesis) may represent the subcellular mechanism leading to MCTP-induced megalocytosis. In the present study, we investigated the applicability of the Golgi blockade hypothesis to epithelial cells. MCTP induced marked megalocytosis in cultures of lung A549 and breast MCF-7 cells. This was associated with a change in the distribution of the cis-Golgi scaffolding protein GM130 from a discrete juxtanuclear localization to a circumnuclear distribution consistent with an anterograde block of GM130 trafficking to/through the Golgi. There was also a loss of plasmamembrane caveolin-1 and E-cadherin, cortical actin together with a circumnuclear accumulation of clathrin heavy chain (CHC) and {alpha}-tubulin. Flotation analyses revealed losses/alterations in the association of caveolin-1, E-cadherin and CHC with raft microdomains. Moreover, megalocytosis was accompanied by an enhanced unfolded protein response (UPR) as evidenced by nuclear translocation of Ire1{alpha} and glucose regulated protein 58 (GRP58/ER-60/ERp57) and a circumnuclear accumulation of PERK kinase and protein disulfide isomerase (PDI). These data further support the hypothesis that an MCTP-induced Golgi blockade and enhanced UPR may represent the subcellular mechanism leading to enlargement of ER and Golgi and subsequent megalocytosis.

Our goal is to provide a mechanistic understanding of the cellular and molecular aspects of freezing injury and cold acclimation from a perspective of the structural and functional integrity of the plasmamembrane -- the primary site of freezing injury in winter cereals. We have utilized protoplasts isolated from leaves of winter rye (Secale cereale L. cv Puma) to study the cryobehavior of the plasmamembrane during a freeze/thaw cycle. The focus of our current studies is on lesions in the plasmamembrane that result from severe freeze-induced dehydration and result in the alteration of the semipermeable characteristics of the plasmamembrane so that the protoplasts are osmotically unresponsive. In protoplasts isolated from non-acclimated rye leaves (NA protoplasts), injury is associated with the formation of aparticulate domains in the plasmamembrane, aparticulate lamellae subtending the plasmamembrane, and lamellar-to-hexagonal II phase transitions in the plasmamembrane and the subtending lamellae. However, lamellar-to-hexagonal II phase transitions are not observed following severe dehydration of protoplasts isolated from cold-acclimated rye leaves (ACC protoplasts). Rather, injury is associated with the ``fracture-jump lesion,`` which, in freeze-fracture electron microscopy studies, is manifested as localized deviations in the fracture face of the plasmamembrane. The fracture plane ``jumps`` from the plasmamembrane to either subtending aparticulate lamellae or aparticulate regions of various endomembranes (predominantly chloroplast envelopes) that are in close apposition with the plasmamembrane.

A polypeptide-dependent protein kinase was purified about 80-fold from an extract of plasmamembranes of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. The membranes were extracted with Nonidet P-40, and the extract was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation and hydroxylapatite and affinity chromatography. The activity was stimulated 10-fold or more by polypeptide preparations from a variety of tissues, including placenta and hypothalamus. Polypeptide-dependent protein kinase had a pH optimum of about 7.5 and required Mg2+ for activity. Mn2+ at low concentrations (200 microM) stimulated enzyme activity somewhat but inhibited activity strongly at higher concentrations. The best available substrate for polypeptide-dependent protein kinase was beta-casein, and little or no phosphorylation was observed with alpha-casein, kappa-casein, phosvitin, alpha-lactalbumin, alpha-lactoglobulin, and histone. However, several endogenous substrates from plasmamembranes of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells were phosphorylated. Polypeptide-dependent protein kinase activity was not inhibited by 10 mM N-ethylmaleimide, and this resistance was useful in differentiating this protein kinase from other protein kinases that were present in crude fractions and sensitive to the inhibitor. Images PMID:6589591

The study of carbon nanostructures is a highly topical branch of bionanotechnology because of their potential application in biomedicine. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are known for their ability to kill tumor cells causing hyperthermia shock and can be used in photothermal therapy respectively. Also chemically modified CNTs can be used for drug delivery. The needle-like shape of CNTs allows them to penetrate into the cell plasmamembrane without killing the cell. C60 fullerenes are regarded as valuable nanocarriers for different hydrophobic molecules as well as potential antiviral agents or photosensitizers. In our previous studies we have demonstrated that all types of carbon nanoparticles cause externalization of phosphatidylserine (PS) from the inner to the outer layer of the cell membrane in the small local patches (points of contact), leaving the other parts of plasmamembrane PS-negative. In the current work there were studied the interactions of pristine C60 fullerenes and different types of CNTs with human blood cells (erythrocytes and Jurkat T-cells). We have shown, that carbon nanoparticles do not have any hemolytic effects, if judged by the dynamics of acidic hemolysis, although they are capable of permeabilizating the cells and facilitating the internalization of propidium iodide into the nuclei.

CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) is a cAMP-regulated chloride (Cl-) channel that plays an important role in salt and fluid movement across epithelia. Cystic fibrosis (CF), the most common genetic disease among Caucasians, is caused by mutations in the gene encoding CFTR. The most predominant mutation, F508del, disturbs CFTR protein trafficking, resulting in a reduced number of CFTR in the plasmamembrane. Recent studies indicate that CFTR is not only found in epithelia but also in human erythrocytes. Although considerable attempts have been made to quantify CFTR in cells, conclusions on numbers of CFTR molecules localized in the plasmamembrane have been drawn indirectly. AFM has the power to provide the needed information, since both sub-molecular spatial resolution and direct protein recognition via antibody-antigen interaction can be observed. We performed a quantification study of the CFTR copies in erythrocyte membranes at the single molecule level, and compared the difference between healthy donors and CF patients. We detected that the number of CFTR molecules is reduced by 70% in erythrocytes of cystic fibrosis patients.

The cell surface proteoglycan syndecan-4 has been reported to be crucial for muscle differentiation, but the molecular mechanisms still remain to be fully understood. During in vitro differentiation of bovine muscle cells immunocytochemical analyses showed strong labelling of syndecan-4 intracellularly, in close proximity with Golgi structures, in membranes of intracellular vesicles and finally, in the nuclear area including the nuclear envelope. Chase experiments showed that syndecan-4 was internalized from the plasmamembrane during this process. Furthermore, when syndecan-4 was knocked down by siRNA more myotubes were formed, and the expression of myogenic transcription factors, β1-integrin and actin was influenced. However, when bovine muscle cells were treated with a cell-penetrating peptide containing the cytoplasmic region of syndecan-4, myoblast fusion and thus myotube formation was blocked, both in normal cells and in syndecan-4 knock down cells. Altogether this suggests that the cytoplasmic domain of syndecan-4 is important in regulation of myogenesis. The internalization of syndecan-4 from the plasmamembrane during muscle differentiation and the nuclear localization of syndecan-4 in differentiated muscle cells may be part of this regulation, and is a novel aspect of syndecan biology which merits further studies. PMID:26068620

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of hypercapnic acidosis on lung cell injury and repair by confocal microscopy in a model of ventilator-induced lung injury. Three groups of normocapnic, hypocapnic, and hypercapnic rat lungs were perfused ex vivo, either during or after injurious ventilation, with a solution containing the membrane-impermeant label propidium iodide. In lungs labeled during injurious ventilation, propidium iodide fluorescence identifies all cells with plasmamembrane wounds, both permanent and transient, whereas in lungs labeled after injurious ventilation propidium iodide fluorescence identifies only cells with permanent plasmamembrane wounds. Hypercapnia minimized the adverse effects of high-volume ventilation on vascular barrier function, whereas hypocapnia had the opposite effect. Despite CO2-dependent differences in lung mechanics and edema the number of injured subpleural cells per alveolus was similar in the three groups (0.48 +/- 0.34 versus 0.51 +/- 0.19 versus 0.43 +/- 0.20 for hypocapnia, normocapnia, and hypercapnia, respectively). However, compared with normocapnia the probability of wound repair was significantly reduced in hypercapnic lungs (63 versus 38%; p < 0.02). This finding was subsequently confirmed in alveolar epithelial cell scratch models. The potential relevance of these observations for lung inflammation and remodeling after mechanical injury is discussed. PMID:15695495

A large, transient depolarization of the plasmamembrane precedes the rapid blue-light (BL)-induced growth suppression in etiolated seedlings of Cucumis sativus L. The mechanism of this voltage transient was investigated by applying inhibitors of ion channels and the plasma-membrane H(+)-ATPase, by manipulating extracellular ion concentrations, and by measuring cell input resistance and ATP levels. The depolarizing phase was not affected by Ca(2+)-channel blockers (verapamil, La3+) or by reducing extracellular free Ca2+ by treatment with ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA). However, these treatments did reduce the rate of repolarization, indicating an inward movement of Ca2+ is involved. No effects of the K(+)-channel blocker tetraethylammonium (TEA+) were detected. Vanadate and KCN, used to inhibit the H(+)-ATPase, reduced or completely inhibited the BL-induced depolarization. Levels of ATP increased by 11-26% after 1-2 min of BL. Input resistance of trichrome cells, measured with double-barreled microelectrodes, remained constant during the onset of the depolarization but decreased as the membrane voltage became more positive than -90 mV. The results indicate that the depolarization mechanism initially involves inactivation of the H(+)-ATPase with subsequent transient activation of one or more types of ion channels.

Cell plasmamembranes of living cells maintain their asymmetry, so that the outer leaflet presents a large quantity of sphingomyelin, which is critical for formation of ordered lipid domains. Here, a recently developed probe based on Nile Red (NR12S) was applied to monitor changes in the lipid order specifically at the outer leaflet of cell membranes. Important key features of NR12S are its ratiometric response exclusively to lipid order (liquid ordered vs. liquid disordered phase) and not to surface charge, the possibility of using it at very low concentrations (10-20nM) and the very simple staining protocol. Cholesterol extraction, oxidation and sphingomyelin hydrolysis were found to red shift the emission spectrum of NR12S, indicating a decrease in the lipid order at the outer plasmamembrane leaflet. Remarkably, apoptosis induced by three different agents (actinomycin D, camptothecin, staurosporine) produced very similar spectroscopic effects, suggesting that apoptosis also significantly decreases the lipid order at this leaflet. The applicability of NR12S to detect apoptosis was further validated by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry, using the ratio between the blue and red parts of its emission band. Thus, for the first time, an environment-sensitive probe, sensitive to lipid order, is shown to detect apoptosis, suggesting a new concept in apoptosis sensing. PMID:22846507

Disruption of the plasmamembrane often accompanies cellular injury, and in muscle, plasmamembrane resealing is essential for efficient recovery from injury. Muscle contraction, especially of lengthened muscle, disrupts the sarcolemma. To define the molecular machinery that directs repair, we applied laser wounding to live mammalian myofibers and assessed translocation of fluorescently tagged proteins using high-resolution microscopy. Within seconds of membrane disruption, annexins A1, A2, A5, and A6 formed a tight repair "cap." Actin was recruited to the site of damage, and annexin A6 cap formation was both actin dependent and Ca(2+) regulated. Repair proteins, including dysferlin, EHD1, EHD2, MG53, and BIN1, localized adjacent to the repair cap in a "shoulder" region enriched with phosphatidlyserine. Dye influx into muscle fibers lacking both dysferlin and the related protein myoferlin was substantially greater than control or individual null muscle fibers, underscoring the importance of shoulder-localized proteins. These data define the cap and shoulder as subdomains within the repair complex accumulating distinct and nonoverlapping components. PMID:27298325

Charasomes are convoluted plasmamembrane domains in the green alga Chara australis. They harbor H+-ATPases involved in acidification of the medium, which facilitates carbon uptake required for photosynthesis. In this study we investigated the distribution of cortical microtubules and cortical actin filaments in relation to the distribution of charasomes. We found that microtubules and actin filaments were largely lacking beneath the charasomes, suggesting the absence of nucleating and/or anchoring complexes or an inhibitory effect on polymerization. We also investigated the influence of cytoskeleton inhibitors on the light-dependent growth and the darkness-induced degradation of charasomes. Inhibition of cytoplasmic streaming by cytochalasin D significantly inhibited charasome growth and delayed charasome degradation, whereas depolymerization of microtubules by oryzalin or stabilization of microtubules by paclitaxel had no effect. Our data indicate that the membrane at the cytoplasmic surface of charasomes has different properties in comparison with the smooth plasmamembrane. We show further that the actin cytoskeleton is necessary for charasome growth and facilitates charasome degradation presumably via trafficking of secretory and endocytic vesicles, respectively. However, microtubules are required neither for charasome growth nor for charasome degradation. PMID:26272553

Charasomes are convoluted plasmamembrane domains in the green alga Chara australis. They harbor H(+)-ATPases involved in acidification of the medium, which facilitates carbon uptake required for photosynthesis. In this study we investigated the distribution of cortical microtubules and cortical actin filaments in relation to the distribution of charasomes. We found that microtubules and actin filaments were largely lacking beneath the charasomes, suggesting the absence of nucleating and/or anchoring complexes or an inhibitory effect on polymerization. We also investigated the influence of cytoskeleton inhibitors on the light-dependent growth and the darkness-induced degradation of charasomes. Inhibition of cytoplasmic streaming by cytochalasin D significantly inhibited charasome growth and delayed charasome degradation, whereas depolymerization of microtubules by oryzalin or stabilization of microtubules by paclitaxel had no effect. Our data indicate that the membrane at the cytoplasmic surface of charasomes has different properties in comparison with the smooth plasmamembrane. We show further that the actin cytoskeleton is necessary for charasome growth and facilitates charasome degradation presumably via trafficking of secretory and endocytic vesicles, respectively. However, microtubules are required neither for charasome growth nor for charasome degradation. PMID:26272553

The transport of water through membranes is regulated in part by aquaporins or water channel proteins. These proteins are members of the larger family of major intrinsic proteins (MIPs). Plant aquaporins are categorized as either tonoplast intrinsic proteins (TIPs) or plasmamembrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs). Sequence analysis shows that PIPs form several subclasses. We report on the characterization of three maize (Zea mays) PIPs belonging to the PIP1 and PIP2 subfamilies (ZmPIP1a, ZmPIP1b, and ZmPIP2a). The ZmPIP2a clone has normal aquaporin activity in Xenopus laevis oocytes. ZmPIP1a and ZmPIP1b have no activity, and a review of the literature shows that most PIP1 proteins identified in other plants have no or very low activity in oocytes. Arabidopsis PIP1 proteins are the only exception. Control experiments show that this lack of activity of maize PIP1 proteins is not caused by their failure to arrive at the plasmamembrane of the oocytes. ZmPIP1b also does not appear to facilitate the transport of any of the small solutes tried (glycerol, choline, ethanol, urea, and amino acids). These results are discussed in relationship to the function and regulation of the PIP family of aquaporins. PMID:10759498

Cell membranes are susceptible to biophysical damages. These biophysical damages often present themselves in challenging oxidative environments, such as in chronic inflammation. Here we report the damage evolution after single myoblasts were individually subjected to femtosecond (fs) laser photoporation on their plasmamembranes under normal and oxidative conditions. A well-characterized tunable fs laser was coupled with a laser scanning confocal microscope. The post-damage wound evolution was documented by real-time imaging. The fs laser could generate a highly focused hole at a targeted site of the myoblast plasmamembrane. The initial hole size depended on the laser dosage in terms of power and exposure duration. With the same laser power and irradiation duration, photoporation invoked bigger holes in the oxidative groups than in the control. Myoblasts showed difficulty in repairing holes with initial size beyond certain threshold. Within the threshold, holes could apparently be resealed within 100 s under the normal condition; while in oxidative condition, the resealing process could take 100-300 s. The hole-resealing capacity of myoblasts was compromised under oxidative stress particularly when the oxidative exposure was chronic. It is interesting to note that brief exposure to oxidative stress apparently could promote resealing in myoblasts after photoporation. PMID:26014361

Septin family proteins oligomerize through guanosine 5′-triphosphate–binding domains into core heteromers, which in turn polymerize at the cleavage furrow of dividing fungal and animal cells. Septin assemblies during the interphase of animal cells remain poorly defined and are the topic of this report. In this study, we developed protocols for visualization of authentic higher-order assemblies using tagged septins to effectively replace the endogenous gene product within septin core heteromers in human cells. Our analysis revealed that septins assemble into microtubule-supported, disk-like structures at the plasmamembrane. In the absence of cell substrate adhesion, this is the predominant higher-order arrangement in interphase cells and each of the seven to eight septin family members expressed by the two analyzed cell types appears equally represented. However, studies of myeloid and lymphoid cell model systems revealed cell type–specific alterations of higher-order septin arrangements in response to substrate adhesion. Live-cell observations suggested that all higher-order septin assemblies are mutually exclusive with plasmamembrane regions undergoing remodeling. The combined data point to a mechanism by which densely arranged cortical microtubules, which are typical for nonadhered spherical cells, support plasma membrane–bound, disk-like septin assemblies. PMID:21998205

Gene transfection, which is the process of deliberately introducing nucleic acids into cells, is expected to play an important role in medical treatment because the process is necessary for gene therapy and creation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. However, the conventional transfection methods have some problems, so we focus attention on promising transfection methods by atmospheric pressure plasma (APP). We have previously reported that the cell membrane permeability, which is closely related with gene transfection, is improved using a cell-solution electrode for generating He-APP. He-APP is irradiated to the solution containing the adherent cells and delivery materials such as fluorescent dyes (YOYO-1) and plasmid DNA (GFP). In case of YOYO-1 delivery, more than 80% of cells can be transferred only in the plasma-irradiated area and the spatially-selective membrane permeabilization is realized by the plasma irradiation. In addition, it is confirmed that plasmid DNA is transfected and the GFP genes are expressed using same APP irradiation system with no obvious cellular damage.

A microneedle puncture of the fibroblast or sea urchin egg surface rapidly evokes a localized exocytotic reaction that may be required for the rapid resealing that follows this breach in plasmamembrane integrity (Steinhardt, R.A,. G. Bi, and J.M. Alderton. 1994. Science (Wash. DC). 263:390–393). How this exocytotic reaction facilitates the resealing process is unknown. We found that starfish oocytes and sea urchin eggs rapidly reseal much larger disruptions than those produced with a microneedle. When an ∼40 by 10 μm surface patch was torn off, entry of fluorescein stachyose (FS; 1,000 mol wt) or fluorescein dextran (FDx; 10,000 mol wt) from extracellular sea water (SW) was not detected by confocal microscopy. Moreover, only a brief (∼5–10 s) rise in cytosolic Ca2+ was detected at the wound site. Several lines of evidence indicate that intracellular membranes are the primary source of the membrane recruited for this massive resealing event. When we injected FS-containing SW deep into the cells, a vesicle formed immediately, entrapping within its confines most of the FS. DiI staining and EM confirmed that the barrier delimiting injected SW was a membrane bilayer. The threshold for vesicle formation was ∼3 mM Ca2+ (SW is ∼10 mM Ca2+). The capacity of intracellular membranes for sealing off SW was further demonstrated by extruding egg cytoplasm from a micropipet into SW. A boundary immediately formed around such cytoplasm, entrapping FDx or FS dissolved in it. This entrapment did not occur in Ca2+-free SW (CFSW). When egg cytoplasm stratified by centrifugation was exposed to SW, only the yolk platelet–rich domain formed a membrane, suggesting that the yolk platelet is a critical element in this response and that the ER is not required. We propose that plasmamembrane disruption evokes Ca2+ regulated vesicle–vesicle (including endocytic compartments but possibly excluding ER) fusion reactions. The function in resealing of this cytoplasmic fusion

Electric pulses with high field strength and durations in the nanosecond range (nsPEFs) are of considerable interest for biotechnological and medical applications. However, their actual cellular site of action is still under debate--due to their extremely short rise times, nsPEFs are thought to act mainly in the cell interior rather than at the plasmamembrane. On the other hand, nsPEFs can induce membrane permeability. We have revisited this issue using plant cells as a model. By mapping the cellular responses to nsPEFs of different field strength and duration in the tobacco BY-2 cell line, we could define a treatment that does not impinge on short-term viability, such that the physiological responses to the treatment can be followed. We observe, for these conditions, a mild disintegration of the cytoskeleton, impaired membrane localization of the PIN1 auxin-efflux transporter and a delayed premitotic nuclear positioning followed by a transient mitotic arrest. To address the target site of nsPEFs, we made use of the plant-specific KCH kinesin, which can assume two different states with different localization (either near the nucleus or at the cell membrane) driving different cellular functions. We show that nsPEFs reduce cell expansion in nontransformed cells but promote expansion in a line overexpressing KCH. Since cell elongation and cell widening are linked to the KCH localized at the cell membrane, the inverted response in the KCH overexpressor provides evidence for a direct action of nsPEFs, also at the cell membrane. PMID:24062185

Rafts are cholesterol- and sphingolipid-enriched microdomains of the plasmamembrane (PM) that organize many signal transduction pathways. Interactions between cholesterol and saturated lipids lead to patches of liquid-ordered membrane (rafts) phase-separating from the remaining PM. Phase behavior is temperature sensitive, and acute changes in temperature experienced by poikilotherms would be expected to perturb raft structure, necessitating an acclimatory response. Therefore, with thermal acclimation, we would expect compositional changes in the raft directed to offset this perturbation. Using differential and density gradient centrifugation, we separated PM from the livers of rainbow trout acclimated to 5 degrees C and 20 degrees C into raft-enriched (raft) and raft-depleted PM (RDPM). Compared with RDPM, the raft fractions were enriched in cholesterol, the beta(2)-adrenergic receptor and adenylyl cyclase, which are commonly used markers for this microdomain. Furthermore, cholesterol was enriched in all fractions from warm-compared with cold-acclimated animals, but this increase was 3.4 times greater in raft than in PM. We developed a novel approach for measuring membrane molecular interaction strength (and thus the tendency to stabilize raft structure) based on the susceptibility of membranes to detergent. Specifically, studies with model vesicles demonstrated that the capacity of a membrane to accommodate detergent prior to solubilization (saturation point) was a good index of this property. The saturation point of the isolated membrane preparations was temperature sensitive and was significantly different in 5 degrees C- and 20 degrees C-acclimated RDPM when assayed at 5 degrees C and 20 degrees C, respectively. By contrast, this comparison in rafts was not significantly different, suggesting compensation of this property. These data suggest that compositional changes made in the PM during thermal acclimation act to offset thermal perturbation of the raft but

The compound U1866A (3 beta-[2-(diethylamino)ethoxy]androst-5-en-17-one) has been shown to inhibit the cellular transfer of low-density lipoprotein-derived cholesterol from lysosomes to plasmamembranes (Liscum and Faust (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 11796-806). We have in this study examined the effects of U18666A on cholesterol translocation from plasmamembranes to intracellular membranes. Translocation of plasmamembrane cholesterol was induced by degradation of plasmamembrane sphingomyelin. The sphingomyelinase-induced activation of the acyl-CoA cholesterol acyl transferase (ACAT) reaction was completely inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by U18666A, both in cultured human skin fibroblasts and baby hamster kidney cells. Half-maximal inhibition (within 60 min) was obtained with 0.5-1 microgram/ml of U18666A. A time-course study indicated that the onset of inhibition was rapid (within 10-15 min), and reversible if U18666A was removed from the incubation mixture. Using a cholesterol oxidase assay, we observed that the extent of plasmamembrane cholesterol translocation in sphingomyelinase-treated HSF cells was significantly lowered in the presence of U18666A (at 3 micrograms/ml). The effect of U18666A on cholesterol translocation was also fully reversible when the drug was withdrawn. In mouse Leydig tumor cells, labeled to constant specific activity with [3H]cholesterol, the compound U18666A inhibited in a dose-dependent manner the cyclic AMP-stimulated secretion of [3H]steroid hormones. The effects seen with compound U18666A appeared to be specific for this molecule, since another hydrophobic amine, imipramine, did not in our experiments affect cholesterol translocation or ACAT activation. Since different cell types display sensitivity to U18666A in various intracellular cholesterol transfer processes, they appear to have a common U18666A-sensitive regulatory mechanism. PMID:8130265

In this work, the hemocompatibility of zwitterionic polypropylene (PP) fibrous membranes with varying grafting coverage of poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) (PSBMA) via plasma-induced surface polymerization was studied. Charge neutrality of PSBMA-grafted layers on PP membrane surfaces was controlled by the low-pressure and atmospheric plasma treatment in this study. The effects of grafting composition, surface hydrophilicity, and hydration capability on blood compatibility of the membranes were determined. Protein adsorption onto the different PSBMA-grafted PP membranes from human fibrinogen solutions was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with monoclonal antibodies. Blood platelet adhesion and plasma clotting time measurements from a recalcified platelet-rich plasma solution were used to determine if platelet activation depends on the charge bias of the grafted PSBMA layer. The charge bias of PSBMA layer deviated from the electrical balance of positively and negatively charged moieties can be well-controlled via atmospheric plasma-induced interfacial zwitterionization and was further tested with human whole blood. The optimized PSBMA surface graft layer in overall charge neutrality has a high hydration capability and keeps its original blood-inert property of antifouling, anticoagulant, and antithrmbogenic activities when it comes into contact with human blood. This work suggests that the hemocompatible nature of grafted PSBMA polymers by controlling grafting quality via atmospheric plasma treatment gives a great potential in the surface zwitterionization of hydrophobic membranes for use in human whole blood. PMID:23181727

It is now generally accepted that non-genomic steroids action precedes their genomic effects by modulation of intracellular signaling pathways within seconds after application. Ca(2+) is a very potent and ubiquitous ion in all cells, and its concentration is precisely regulated. The most sensitive on Ca(2+) increase is ATP-consuming plasmamembrane calcium pump (PMCA). The enzyme is coded by four genes, but isoforms diversity was detected in excitable and non-excitable cells. It is the only ion pump stimulated directly by calmodulin (CaM). We examined the role of PMCA isoforms composition and CaM effect in regulation of Ca(2+) uptake by estradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), pregnenolone (PREG), and their sulfates in a concentration range from 10(-9) to 10(-6) M, using the membranes from rat cortical synaptosomes, differentiated PC12 cells, and human erythrocytes. In excitable membranes with full set of PMCAs steroids apparently increased Ca(2+) uptake, although to a variable extent. In most of the cases, CaM decreased transport by 30-40% below controls. Erythrocyte PMCA was regulated by the steroids somewhat differently than excitable cells. CaM strongly increased the potency for Ca(2+) extrusion in membranes incubated with 17-beta-estradiol and PREG. Our results indicated that steroids may sufficiently control cytoplasmic calcium concentration within physiological and therapeutic range. The response depended on the cell type, PMCA isoforms expression profile, CaM presence, and the steroids structure. PMID:19226536

Environmental or nutritional estrogenic toxicants are thought to mediate developmental and carcinogenic pathologies. Estrogen receptor (ER) measurements are currently used to predict hormonal responsiveness; therefore all ER subpopulations should be considered. We have been involved in the immunoidentification and characterization of membrane steroid receptors in several systems and have recently shown that binding of estradiol (E2) to a subpopulation of ERs (mER) residing in the plasmamembrane of GH3 pituitary tumor cells mediates the rapid release of prolactin (PRL). Here we review these findings and present other important characterizations of these receptors such as trypsin and serum susceptibility, movement in the membrane, confocal localization to the membrane, binding to and function of impeded ligands, and immunoseparation of cells bearing mER. We plan to use this system as a model for both the physiological and pathological nongenomic effects of estrogens and estrogenic xenobiotics. Specifically, it should be useful as an in vitro assay system for the ability of estrogenic xenobiotics to cause rapid PRL release as an example of nongenomic estrogen effects. Images Figure 4. A Figure 4. B Figure 4. C Figure 4. D Figure 4. E Figure 4. F Figure 5. A Figure 5. B Figure 6. A Figure 6. B Figure 6. C Figure 7. A Figure 7. B Figure 7. C Figure 7. D PMID:8593873

Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a major component of membrane bilayers whose change in distribution between inner and outer leaflets is an important physiological signal. Normally, members of the type IV P-type ATPases spend metabolic energy to create an asymmetric distribution of phospholipids between the two leaflets, with PS confined to the cytoplasmic membrane leaflet. On occasion, membrane enzymes, known as scramblases, are activated to facilitate transbilayer migration of lipids, including PS. Recently, two proteins required for such randomization have been identified: TMEM16F, a scramblase regulated by elevated intracellular Ca(2+), and XKR8, a caspase-sensitive protein required for PS exposure in apoptotic cells. Once exposed at the cell surface, PS regulates biochemical reactions involved in blood coagulation, and bone mineralization, and also regulates a variety of cell-cell interactions. Exposed on the surface of apoptotic cells, PS controls their recognition and engulfment by other cells. This process is exploited by parasites to invade their host, and in specialized form is used to maintain photoreceptors in the eye and modify synaptic connections in the brain. This review discusses what is known about the mechanism of PS exposure at the surface of the plasmamembrane of cells, how actors in the extracellular milieu sense surface exposed PS, and how this recognition is translated to downstream consequences of PS exposure. PMID:26936867

A cell membrane can be considered a liquid-phase plane in which lipids and proteins theoretically are free to diffuse. Numerous reports, however, describe retarded diffusion of membrane proteins in animal cells. This anomalous diffusion results from a combination of structuring factors including protein–protein interactions, cytoskeleton corralling, and lipid organization into microdomains. In plant cells, plasma-membrane (PM) proteins have been described as relatively immobile, but the control mechanisms that structure the PM have not been studied. Here, we use fluorescence recovery after photobleaching to estimate mobility of a set of minimal PM proteins. These proteins consist only of a PM-anchoring domain fused to a fluorescent protein, but their mobilities remained limited, as is the case for many full-length proteins. Neither the cytoskeleton nor membrane microdomain structure was involved in constraining the diffusion of these proteins. The cell wall, however, was shown to have a crucial role in immobilizing PM proteins. In addition, by single-molecule fluorescence imaging we confirmed that the pattern of cellulose deposition in the cell wall affects the trajectory and speed of PM protein diffusion. Regulation of PM protein dynamics by the plant cell wall can be interpreted as a mechanism for regulating protein interactions in processes such as trafficking and signal transduction. PMID:22689944

SH4 domains provide bipartite membrane-targeting signals for oncogenic Src family kinases. Here we report the induction of non-apoptotic plasmamembrane (PM) blebbing as a novel and conserved activity of SH4 domains derived from the prototypic Src kinases Src, Fyn, Yes and Lck as well as the HASPB protein of Leishmania parasites. SH4-domain-induced blebbing is highly dynamic, with bleb formation and collapse displaying distinct kinetics. These reorganizations of the PM are controlled by Rho but not Rac or Cdc42 GTPase signalling pathways. SH4-induced membrane blebbing requires the membrane association of the SH4 domain, is regulated by the activities of Rock kinase and myosin II ATPase, and depends on the integrity of F-actin as well as microtubules. Endogenous Src kinase activity is crucial for PM blebbing in SH4-domain-expressing cells, active Src and Rock kinases are enriched in SH4-domain-induced PM blebs, and PM blebbing correlates with enhanced cell invasion in 3D matrices. These results establish a novel link between SH4 domains, Src activity and Rho signalling, and implicate SH4-domain-mediated PM dynamization as a mechanism that influences invasiveness of cells transformed by SH4-domain-containing oncoproteins. PMID:17959630

Involvement of sterols in membrane structural properties has been extensively studied in model systems but rarely assessed in natural membranes and never investigated for the plant plasmamembrane (PM). Here, we address the question of the role of phytosterols in the organization of the plant PM. The sterol composition of tobacco BY-2 cell PM was determined by gas chromatography. The cyclic oligosaccharide methyl-beta-cyclodextrin, commonly used in animal cells to decrease cholesterol levels, caused a drastic reduction (50%) in the PM total free sterol content of the plant material, without modification in amounts of steryl-conjugates. Fluorescence spectroscopy experiments using DPH, TMA-DPH, Laurdan, and di-4-ANEPPDHQ indicated that such a depletion in sterol content increased lipid acyl chain disorder and reduced the overall liquid-phase heterogeneity in correlation with the disruption of phytosterol-rich domains. Methyl-beta-cyclodextrin also prevented isolation of a PM fraction resistant to solubilization by nonionic detergents, previously characterized in tobacco, and induced redistribution of the proteic marker of this fraction, NtrbohD, within the membrane. Altogether, our results support the role of phytosterols in the lateral structuring of the PM of higher plant cells and suggest that they are key compounds for the formation of plant PM microdomains. PMID:18676403

The vital task of vectorial solute transport is often energised by a plasmamembrane, proton-motive V-ATPase. However, its proposed partner, an apical alkali-metal/proton exchanger, has remained elusive. Here, both FlyAtlas microarray data and in situ analyses demonstrate that the bacterial kefB and kefC (members of the CPA2 family) homologues in Drosophila, CG10806 and CG31052, respectively, are both co-expressed with V-ATPase genes in transporting epithelia. Immunocytochemistry localises endogenous CG10806 and CG31052 to the apical plasmamembrane of the Malpighian (renal) tubule. YFP-tagged CG10806 and CG31052 both localise to the plasmamembrane of Drosophila S2 cells, and when driven in principal cells of the Malpighian tubule, they localise specifically to the apical plasmamembrane. V-ATPase-energised fluid secretion is affected by overexpression of CG10806, but not CG31052; in the former case, overexpression causes higher basal rates, but lower stimulated rates, of fluid secretion compared with parental controls. Overexpression also impacts levels of secreted Na+ and K+. Both genes rescue exchanger-deficient (nha1 nhx1) yeast, but act differently; CG10806 is driven predominantly to the plasmamembrane and confers protection against excess K+, whereas CG31052 is expressed predominantly on the vacuolar membrane and protects against excess Na+. Thus, both CG10806 and CG31052 are functionally members of the CPA2 gene family, colocalise to the same apical membrane as the plasmamembrane V-ATPase and show distinct ion specificities, as expected for the Wieczorek exchanger. PMID:18628302

Wounding leads not only to plasmamembrane disruption, but also to compromised cytoskeleton structures. This results not only in unwarranted exchanges between the cytosol and extracellular milieu, but also in loss of tensegrity, which may further endanger the cell. Tensegrity can be described as the interplay between the tensile forces generated by the apparent membrane tension, actomyosin contraction, and the cytoskeletal structures resisting those changes (e.g., microtubules). It is responsible for the structural integrity of the cell and for its ability to sense mechanical signals. Recent reviews dealing with single-cell healing mostly focused on the molecular machineries controlling the traffic and fusion of specific vesicles, or their role in different pathologies. In this review, we aim to take a broader view of the different modes of single cell repair, while focussing on the different ways the changes in plasmalemma surface area and composition, plasmalemma tension, and cytoskeletal dynamics may influence and affect single-cell repair. PMID:26209916

We developed genetically-encoded fluorescent sensors based on Förster Resonance Energy Transfer to monitor phosphatidic acid (PA) fluctuations in the plasmamembrane using Spo20 as PA-binding motif. Basal PA levels and phospholipase D activity varied in different cell types. In addition, stimuli that activate PA phosphatases, leading to lower PA levels, increased lamellipodia and filopodia formation. Lower PA levels were observed in the leading edge than in the trailing edge of migrating HeLa cells. In MSC80 and OLN93 cells, which are stable cell lines derived from Schwann cells and oligodendrocytes, respectively, a higher ratio of diacylglycerol to PA levels was demonstrated in the membrane processes involved in myelination, compared to the cell body. We propose that the PA sensors reported here are valuable tools to unveil the role of PA in a variety of intracellular signaling pathways. PMID:25025521

Dengue and West Nile viruses are enveloped RNA viruses that belong to genus Flavivirus (family Flaviviridae) and are considered important mosquito-borne viral pathogenic agents worldwide. A potential target for intervention strategies is the virus cell entry mechanism. Previous studies of flavivirus entry have focused on the effects of biochemical and molecular inhibitors on viral entry leading to controversial conclusions suggesting that the process is dependent upon endocytosis and low pH mediated membrane fusion. In this study we analyzed the early events in the infection process by means of electron microscopy and immuno-gold labeling of viral particles during cell entry, and used as a new approach for infecting cells with viruses obtained directly from mosquitoes. The results show that Dengue and West Nile viruses may infect cells by a mechanism that involves direct penetration of the host cell plasmamembrane as proposed for alphaviruses.

In order to ensure their physiological and cellular functions, plasmamembrane (PM) proteins must be properly conveyed from their site of synthesis, i.e., the endoplasmic reticulum, to their final destination, the PM, through the secretory pathway. PM protein homeostasis also relies on recycling and/or degradation, two processes that are initiated by endocytosis. Vesicular membrane trafficking events to and from the PM have been shown to be altered when plant cells are exposed to mutualistic or pathogenic microbes. In this review, we will describe the fine-tune regulation of such alterations, and their consequence in PM protein activity. We will consider the formation of intracellular perimicrobial compartments, the PM protein trafficking machinery of the host, and the delivery or retrieval of signaling and transport proteins such as pattern-recognition receptors, producers of reactive oxygen species, and sugar transporters. PMID:25566303

Association of exogenous cholesterol with rabbit brain synaptosomal plasmamembranes follows an exponential path described by the general formula y = a X ebx. The co-operative nature of this association was shown when increasing amounts of unlabelled cholesterol glucoside (up to 0.5 mM) were added to a fixed amount (5 microM) of [14C]cholesterol, when a biphasic curve of the binding of [14C]cholesterol into the membranes was obtained. Arrhenius plots of this association revealed two break points which occur at 25 degrees C and 42 degrees C. The first break apparently corresponds to the transition from the crystalline to the gel phase. The second break may be due to the (continuously) increasing entropy of the system which creates at a certain point difficulties in the binding of cholesterol into the lipid bilayer. PMID:6487274

A comparison of L-valine and D-glucose transport was carried out with vesicles of plasmamembrane isolated either from the luminal (brush border) or from the contra-luminal (basolateral) region of small intestinal epithelial cells. The existence of transport systems for both non-electrolytes was demonstrated by stereospecificity and saturability of uptake, as well as tracer coupling. Transport of L-valine and D-glucose differs markedly in the two types of plasmamembrane with respect to stimulation by Na+. The presence of Na+ stimulated initial L-valine and D-glucose uptake in brush border, but not in basolateral membrane. Moreover, an electro-chemical Na+ gradient, oriented with the lower potential on the inside, supported accumulation of the non-electrolytes above medium concentration only in the brush border membrane. L-Valine and D-glucose transport also were saturated at lower concentrations in brush border (10-20 mM) than in basolateral plasmamembranes (30-50 mM). A third difference between the two membranes was found in the effectiveness of known inhibitors of D-glucose transport. In brush border membranes phlorizin was more potent than phloretin and 2', 3', 4'-trihydroxy-4-methoxy chalcone and cytochalasin B did not inhibit at all. In contrast, with the basolateral plasmamembranes the order of potency was changed to phloretin = 2',3',4'-trihydroxy-4-methoxy chalcone greater than cytochalasin B greater than phlorizin. These results indicate the presence of different types of transport systems for monosaccharides and neutral amino acids in the luminal and contra-luminal region of the plasmamembrane. Active transepithelial transport can be explained on the basis of the different properties of the non-electrolyte transport systems in the two cellular regions and an electro-chemical Na+ gradient that is dependent on cellular metabolism. PMID:137908

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) photoacoustic detection systems can aid clinical decision-making in the treatment of cancer. Interaction of melanin within melanoma cells with nanosecond laser pulses generates photoacoustic waves that make its detection possible. This study aims at: (1) determining melanoma cell survival after laser pulses of 6 ns at λ = 355 and 532 nm; (2) comparing the potential enhancement in the photoacoustic signal using λ = 355 nm in contrast with λ = 532 nm; (3) determining the critical laser fluence at which melanin begins to leak out from melanoma cells; and (4) developing a time-resolved imaging (TRI) system to study the intracellular interactions and their effect on the plasmamembrane integrity. Monolayers of melanoma cells were grown on tissue culture-treated clusters and irradiated with up to 1.0 J/cm2. Surviving cells were stained with trypan blue and counted using a hemacytometer. The phosphate buffered saline absorbance was measured with a nanodrop spectrophotometer to detect melanin leakage from the melanoma cells post-laser irradiation. Photoacoustic signal magnitude was studied at both wavelengths using piezoelectric sensors. TRI with 6 ns resolution was used to image plasmamembrane damage. Cell survival decreased proportionally with increasing laser fluence for both wavelengths, although the decrease is more pronounced for 355 nm radiation than for 532 nm. It was found that melanin leaks from cells equally for both wavelengths. No significant difference in photoacoustic signal was found between wavelengths. TRI showed clear damage to plasmamembrane due to laser-induced bubble formation. PMID:20589533

Inflammatory chemokines can be selectively released from Weibel-Palade bodies (WPBs) during kiss-and-run exocytosis. Such selectivity may arise from molecular size filtering by the fusion pore, however differential intra-WPB cargo re-mobilisation following fusion-induced structural changes within the WPB may also contribute to this process. To determine whether WPB cargo molecules are differentially re-mobilised, we applied FRAP to residual post-fusion WPB structures formed after transient exocytosis in which some or all of the fluorescent cargo was retained. Transient fusion resulted in WPB collapse from a rod to a spheroid shape accompanied by substantial swelling (>2 times by surface area) and membrane mixing between the WPB and plasmamembranes. Post-fusion WPBs supported cumulative WPB exocytosis. To quantify diffusion inside rounded organelles we developed a method of FRAP analysis based on image moments. FRAP analysis showed that von Willebrand factor-EGFP (VWF-EGFP) and the VWF-propolypeptide-EGFP (Pro-EGFP) were immobile in post-fusion WPBs. Because Eotaxin-3-EGFP and ssEGFP (small soluble cargo proteins) were largely depleted from post-fusion WPBs, we studied these molecules in cells preincubated in the weak base NH4Cl which caused WPB alkalinisation and rounding similar to that produced by plasmamembrane fusion. In these cells we found a dramatic increase in mobilities of Eotaxin-3-EGFP and ssEGFP that exceeded the resolution of our method (∼2.4 µm2/s mean). In contrast, the membrane mobilities of EGFP-CD63 and EGFP-Rab27A in post-fusion WPBs were unchanged, while P-selectin-EGFP acquired mobility. Our data suggest that selective re-mobilisation of chemokines during transient fusion contributes to selective chemokine secretion during transient WPB exocytosis. Selective secretion provides a mechanism to regulate intravascular inflammatory processes with reduced risk of thrombosis. PMID:25233365

Inflammatory chemokines can be selectively released from Weibel-Palade bodies (WPBs) during kiss-and-run exocytosis. Such selectivity may arise from molecular size filtering by the fusion pore, however differential intra-WPB cargo re-mobilisation following fusion-induced structural changes within the WPB may also contribute to this process. To determine whether WPB cargo molecules are differentially re-mobilised, we applied FRAP to residual post-fusion WPB structures formed after transient exocytosis in which some or all of the fluorescent cargo was retained. Transient fusion resulted in WPB collapse from a rod to a spheroid shape accompanied by substantial swelling (>2 times by surface area) and membrane mixing between the WPB and plasmamembranes. Post-fusion WPBs supported cumulative WPB exocytosis. To quantify diffusion inside rounded organelles we developed a method of FRAP analysis based on image moments. FRAP analysis showed that von Willebrand factor-EGFP (VWF-EGFP) and the VWF-propolypeptide-EGFP (Pro-EGFP) were immobile in post-fusion WPBs. Because Eotaxin-3-EGFP and ssEGFP (small soluble cargo proteins) were largely depleted from post-fusion WPBs, we studied these molecules in cells preincubated in the weak base NH4Cl which caused WPB alkalinisation and rounding similar to that produced by plasmamembrane fusion. In these cells we found a dramatic increase in mobilities of Eotaxin-3-EGFP and ssEGFP that exceeded the resolution of our method (∼ 2.4 µm2/s mean). In contrast, the membrane mobilities of EGFP-CD63 and EGFP-Rab27A in post-fusion WPBs were unchanged, while P-selectin-EGFP acquired mobility. Our data suggest that selective re-mobilisation of chemokines during transient fusion contributes to selective chemokine secretion during transient WPB exocytosis. Selective secretion provides a mechanism to regulate intravascular inflammatory processes with reduced risk of thrombosis. PMID:25233365

Unsaturated lipids in sperm plasmamembranes are very susceptible to peroxidation when exposed to reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this investigation we have incubated ram spermatozoa in the presence of two ROS generating systems, ascorbate/FeSO4 and potassium peroxychromate (K3CrO8), and examined their effects on membrane fluidity by measuring fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) of a lipid reporter probe 5-(N-octadecanoyl)-aminofluorescein (ODAF). Peroxidation was monitored by malonaldehyde formation and changes in fluorescence emission of 4,4-difluoro-5-(4-phenyl-1,3-butadienyl)-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene-3-undecanoic acid (C11-BODIPY(581/591)). Ascorbate/FeSO4-induced peroxidation was inhibited by Vitamin E, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), 1,4-diazobicyclo(2,2,2)octane (DABCO), and to a lesser extent by ethanol. Added superoxide dismutase (SOD), gluthathione peroxidase (GPX), and catalase were ineffective scavengers. K3CrO8 induced very rapid peroxidation that could be delayed, but not prevented, by Vitamin E, BHT, DABCO, ethanol, and mannitol; once again SOD, GPX, and catalase were ineffective scavengers. Neither peroxidation with ascorbate/FeSO4 nor K3CrO8, or added H2O2 or malonaldehyde perturbed ODAF diffusion in any region of the sperm plasmamembrane. Vitamin E tended to enhance diffusion rates. Exogenous cumene hydroperoxide, however, reduced ODAF diffusion to low levels on the sperm head. These results suggest that the adverse effects of ROS on spermatozoa are more likely to be caused by direct oxidation of proteins and membrane permeabilisation than disturbance of lipid fluidity. PMID:15112331

Plasmamembrane Ca(2+)-ATPases (PMCAs) participate in epithelial Ca(2+) transport and intracellular Ca(2+) signaling. The Pmca4 isoform is enriched in distal nephron isolates and decreased in mice lacking the epithelial transient receptor potential vanilloid 5 Ca(2+) channel. We therefore hypothesized that Pmca4 plays a significant role in transcellular Ca(2+) flux and investigated the localization and regulation of Pmca4 in Ca(2+)-transporting epithelia. Using antibodies directed specifically against Pmca4, we found it expressed only in the smooth muscle layer of mouse and human intestines, whereas pan-specific Pmca antibodies detected Pmca1 in lateral membranes of enterocytes. In the kidney, Pmca4 showed broad localization to the distal nephron. In the mouse, expression was most abundant in segments coexpressing the epithelial ransient receptor potential vanilloid 5 Ca(2+) channel. Significant, albeit lower, expression was also evident in the region encompassing the cortical thick ascending limbs, macula densa, and early distal tubules as well as smooth muscle layers surrounding renal vessels. In the human kidney, a similar pattern of distribution was observed, with the highest PMCA4 expression in Na(+)-Cl(-) cotransporter-positive tubules. Electron microscopy demonstrated Pmca4 localization in distal nephron cells at both the basolateral membrane and intracellular perinuclear compartments but not submembranous vesicles, suggesting rapid trafficking to the plasmamembrane is unlikely to occur in vivo. Pmca4 expression was not altered by perturbations in Ca(2+) balance, pointing to a housekeeping function of the pump in Ca(2+)-transporting epithelia. In conclusion, Pmca4 shows a divergent expression pattern in Ca(2+)-transporting epithelia, inferring diverse roles for this isoform not limited to transepithelial Ca(2+) transport. PMID:26180241

Plasmamembrane (PM) plays central role in triggering primary responses to chilling injury and sustaining cellular homeostasis. Characterising response of membrane lipids to low temperature can provide important information for identifying early causal factors contributing to chilling injury. To this end, PM lipid composition and ATPase activity were assessed in pineapple fruit (Ananas comosus) in relation to the effect of low temperature on the development of blackheart, a form of chilling injury. Chilling temperature at 10 °C induced blackheart development in concurrence with increase in electrolyte leakage. PM ATPase activity was decreased after 1 week at low temperature, followed by a further decrease after 2 weeks. The enzyme activity was not changed during 25 °C storage. Loss of total PM phospholipids was found during postharvest senescence, but more reduction was shown from storage at 10 °C. Phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine were the predominant PM phospholipid species. Low temperature increased the level of phosphatidic acid but decreased the level of phosphatidylinositol. Both phospholipid species were not changed during storage at 25 °C. Postharvest storage at both temperatures decreased the levels of C18:3 and C16:1, and increased level of C18:1. Low temperature decreased the level of C18:2 and increased the level of C14:0. Exogenous application of phosphatidic acid was found to inhibit the PM ATPase activity of pineapple fruit in vitro. Modification of membrane lipid composition and its effect on the functional property of plasmamembrane at low temperature were discussed in correlation with their roles in blackheart development of pineapple fruit. PMID:24390546

BAX INHIBITOR-1 (BI-1) is a cell death suppressor widely conserved in plants and animals. Overexpression of BI-1 enhances tolerance to stress-induced cell death in plant cells, although the molecular mechanism behind this enhancement is unclear. We recently found that Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) BI-1 is involved in the metabolism of sphingolipids, such as the synthesis of 2-hydroxy fatty acids, suggesting the involvement of sphingolipids in the cell death regulatory mechanism downstream of BI-1. Here, we show that BI-1 affects cell death-associated components localized in sphingolipid-enriched microdomains of the plasmamembrane in rice (Oryza sativa) cells. The amount of 2-hydroxy fatty acid-containing glucosylceramide increased in the detergent-resistant membrane (DRM; a biochemical counterpart of plasmamembrane microdomains) fraction obtained from BI-1-overexpressing rice cells. Comparative proteomics analysis showed quantitative changes of DRM proteins in BI-1-overexpressing cells. In particular, the protein abundance of FLOTILLIN HOMOLOG (FLOT) and HYPERSENSITIVE-INDUCED REACTION PROTEIN3 (HIR3) markedly decreased in DRM of BI-1-overexpressing cells. Loss-of-function analysis demonstrated that FLOT and HIR3 are required for cell death by oxidative stress and salicylic acid, suggesting that the decreased levels of these proteins directly contribute to the stress-tolerant phenotypes in BI-1-overexpressing rice cells. These findings provide a novel biological implication of plant membrane microdomains in stress-induced cell death, which is negatively modulated by BI-1 overexpression via decreasing the abundance of a set of key proteins involved in cell death. PMID:26297139

It may be possible to regulate the cell colonization of biodegradable polymer nanofibrous membranes by plasma treatment and by the density of the fibers. To test this hypothesis, nanofibrous membranes of different fiber densities were treated by oxygen plasma with a range of plasma power and exposure times. Scanning electron microscopy and mechanical tests showed significant modification of nanofibers after plasma treatment. The intensity of the fiber modification increased with plasma power and exposure time. The exposure time seemed to have a stronger effect on modifying the fiber. The mechanical behavior of the membranes was influenced by the plasma treatment, the fiber density, and their dry or wet state. Plasma treatment increased the membrane stiffness; however, the membranes became more brittle. Wet membranes displayed significantly lower stiffness than dry membranes. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis showed a slight increase in oxygen-containing groups on the membrane surface after plasma treatment. Plasma treatment enhanced the adhesion and growth of HaCaT keratinocytes on nanofibrous membranes. The cells adhered and grew preferentially on membranes of lower fiber densities, probably due to the larger area of void spaces between the fibers. PMID:25085812

Dysregulation of oxidative phosphorylation is associated with increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production and some of the most prevalent human diseases including obesity, cancer, diabetes, neurodegeneration, and heart disease. Chemical 'mitochondrial uncouplers' are lipophilic weak acids that transport protons into the mitochondrial matrix via a pathway that is independent of ATP synthase, thereby uncoupling nutrient oxidation from ATP production. Mitochondrial uncouplers also lessen the proton motive force across the mitochondrial inner membrane and thereby increase the rate of mitochondrial respiration while decreasing production of reactive oxygen species. Thus, mitochondrial uncouplers are valuable chemical tools that enable the measurement of maximal mitochondrial respiration and they have been used therapeutically to decrease mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production. However, the most widely used protonophore uncouplers such as carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP) and 2,4-dinitrophenol have off-target activity at other membranes that lead to a range of undesired effects including plasmamembrane depolarization, mitochondrial inhibition, and cytotoxicity. These unwanted properties interfere with the measurement of mitochondrial function and result in a narrow therapeutic index that limits their usefulness in the clinic. To identify new mitochondrial uncouplers that lack off-target activity at the plasmamembrane we screened a small molecule chemical library. Herein we report the identification and validation of a novel mitochondrial protonophore uncoupler (2-fluorophenyl){6-[(2-fluorophenyl)amino](1,2,5-oxadiazolo[3,4-e]pyrazin-5-yl)}amine, named BAM15, that does not depolarize the plasmamembrane. Compared to FCCP, an uncoupler of equal potency, BAM15 treatment of cultured cells stimulates a higher maximum rate of mitochondrial respiration and is less cytotoxic. Furthermore, BAM15 is bioactive in vivo and dose

Ligand-induced receptor dimerization plays a crucial role in the signaling process of living cells. In this study, we developed a theoretical model and performed single-molecule tracking to explore the correlated diffusion processes of liganded epidermal growth factor receptors prior to dimer formation. We disclosed that both an attractive potential between liganded receptor proteins in proximity and correlated fluctuations in the local environments of the proteins play an important role to produce the observed correlated movement of the receptors. This result can serve as the foundation to shed light on the way in which receptor functions are regulated in plasmamembranes in vivo.

Trypanosoma brucei is exposed to the adaptive immune system and complement in the blood of its mammalian hosts. The aim of this review is to analyse the role and regulation of the proteins present on the external face of the plasmamembrane in the long-term persistence of an infection and transmission. In particular, the following are addressed: (1) antigenic variation of the variant surface glycoprotein (VSG), (2) the formation of an effective VSG barrier shielding invariant surface proteins, and (3) the rapid uptake of VSG antibody complexes combined with degradation of the immunoglobulin and recycling of the VSG. PMID:20109254

Ligand-induced receptor dimerization plays a crucial role in the signaling process of living cells. In this study, we developed a theoretical model and performed single-molecule tracking to explore the correlated diffusion processes of liganded epidermal growth factor receptors prior to dimer formation. We disclosed that both an attractive potential between liganded receptor proteins in proximity and correlated fluctuations in the local environments of the proteins play an important role to produce the observed correlated movement of the receptors. This result can serve as the foundation to shed light on the way in which receptor functions are regulated in plasmamembranes in vivo.

Four rat lipoprotein classes [lymph chylomicrons, VLD (very-low-density), LD (low-density) and HD (high-density) lipoproteins] were tested for their ability to affect basal adenylate cyclase (EC 4.6.1.1) activity of rat liver plasmamembranes. All the lipoproteins, with the exception of lymph chylomicrons, effectively increase the enzyme activity. VLD lipoproteins are the most active class (67% maximal increase), followed by HD lipoproteins (33%) and LD lipoproteins (23%). The effect of VLD lipoproteins is additive to that elicited by GTP or GTP plus glucagon (at least within a certain concentration range). VLD lipoproteins affect only the Vmax. of the enzyme, not the Km. PMID:7317023